
Copyright N?_ 



COPYRIGHT DEPOSIT. 



HE WHO WON THE WORLD 

A POEM OF THE TWENTIETH 
CENTURY CHRIST 



BY 
EDWARD PAYSON POWELL 

Author of "Our Heredity from Gfod," "How to 
Make a Home in the Country," "The Country 
Home," "Orchard and Fruit Garden," "History 
of Nullification and Secession," etc. 




BOSTON 

SHERMAN, FRENCH & COMPANY 

1914 



PS 14 



Copyrig: 


KT, 1914 


Sherman Fren 


en &> Company 


SEP 1 


11914 


} 


// 


©CI.A380285 







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THIS BOOK IS DEDICATED LOVINGLY 

TO 

JESUS 

WHOSE MESSAGE WAS PEACE 

WHOSE GOSPEL WAS LOVE 



PREFACE 

Dost thou know a song, more beautiful than any 
other, 

That men and angels, loving well, may sing to- 
gether ? 

Let us gladly turn aside from meaner themes this 
day 

That we may sing this song of love that saves 
alway. 

It is the song of Jesus, the most glorious God-son; 

The brother, beautiful and good, who hath our 

souls won; 
Who unto us was born the power of hate to sever, 

And bring the law of love to rule the world for- 
ever. 



THE ANNUNCIATION 

Daughter of Bethlehem! more fair than the 

lilies that bloom 
And weave their fair garments in gold without 

labor of loom, 
Thou shalt bear for the world a sweet blossom 

of love, so divine 
That the ages shall gratefully sing his rich 

graces, and thine. 
Yea, thou shalt be held as the Mother of God 

when are dead 
All the gods save him whose life for the dying is 

shed. 

But he by dying shall live, and in the sweet 

lives of men 
Shall rise from the darkness of death to life 

eternal again, 
For over the gates of Heaven is written in 

letters of gold 
" Let him that forever would live, the feeble 

with love uphold; 
And he that never would die, let him his life 

give each day, 
Denying the seeking of self and the thoughts 

that destroy alway." 



Mary to Elizabeth 
Now must we mothers save this our fair world, 
Endowing fruit of ours with power from God. 
Cousin, once more the angel presence stood 
Before me on the threshold as I went forth 
To greet my Joseph; and he shone me through 
E'en as the morning sun shines through yon 

wood 
When all the rays are level and the light 
Fills full the shady slopes. His lips moved 

mute, 
As I have seen the lips of Joseph's shadow 
Thrown on the hillside. For voice, mine he 

took; 
And I was full of words that music made 
Of joy — like harps in Hermon's Vale of 

Springs, 
That breathe delight while sainted Deborah 

sings. 

Elizabeth to Mary 
Mary, 'tis well! I do not doubt your words, 
But I have not beheld the Lord as thou! 
My love is his alone — my lord ! my spouse ! 
Beautiful his feet; more fair his brow; 
Love sleeps between his arms, with Strength 

and Truth — 
I am most blessed that I may sleep with Love. 



%)e aatfao Ulon tfte ftfflotio 3 

I oft have kissed where his sandals pressed 
The doorstep and the yielding sand and flow- 
ers ; 
And tears went down to fill my kisses print 
Lest they pass too soon. For him I live; my 

worth 
To bear such men to beautify the earth. 



Mary to Elizabeth 
'Tis well ! But love of God is greater love 
Than that of men ; for us it now becomes, 
With chastened souls and free of ev'ry thought 
That stains, to give the weary world its lords ; 
Yea! from our lives, our hearts, our wombs to 

yield 
No fruit but love, and love to truth annealed. 



Wise Men Sing 
Where shall we find the star-lit soul? Who 

knows ? 
Who says all nature feels not human woes, 
Nor thrills with one wide joy o'er great souls 

born ? 
All stars, all souls do but contain the One. 
O'er ox-stall, trembling stands God's light! In 

birth 
I' the manger shines the Star of this fair earth. 



4 %)e TOO Wion tfte ftQotlD 

MOTHERS' SONG 

From wombs of mothers 

Come the Messiahs ; 
From souls of mothers, 

Prince or pariahs. 

To us the world belongs ; 

From us it rose; 
Nothing shall ever be 

But through us flows. 

Angels Sing 
He comes ! The Christ has come ! Now God 

and man do meet ! 
The choirs of earth and heaven unite this day 

to greet! 
Glory to God in the highest! Glory, love, and 

praise ! 
On earth be peace! To men, good will and 

joyous days! 

Shepherds Sing 

Dost thou hear the music playing 
What the skies and earth are saying? 
Mystic measure ever floating, 
Peace and pleasure now denoting ; 
Now the stronger chord of trust 
In the coming of the Just 



fyz Wibo ftOon m ft&orio 

Blending all at last in love ! — 
Dost thou hear this from above? 

Airy voices filling space ; 
Nowhere canst the music trace ; — 
Where thou thinkest now 'tis found, 
Swift, eluding measured bound; 
Filling, floating, sweetly blended ; 
By the fleecy clouds attended; 
With the moonbeams gently sifted ; 
There the clouds and song are lifted. 

'Gainst all mountains cedar-crowned 
Breaketh soft the secret sound; 
Over vales where rosebuds, oping, 
Wake the bees to honeyed hoping; 
Every home it soft caresseth ; 
Round all things forever presseth. — 
Whence and whither no one knoweth ; 
Like a summer wind that bloweth. 

Was there ever music sweeter, 
Giving mortal joy completer? 
Like a cradle song that wrappeth 
Soft a blessed babe that nappeth. 
So around the sleeping world 
At this midnight hour unfurled! 
'Tis the song of Christus' birth, 
Singing round the sleeping earth. 



Elizabeth to Mahy 
Mary, hast seen our boys? Nature did err 
In making two when both were better one. 
Yet now the twain are one. Where Jesus is 
There John is found; no others do they seek. 
Their love's like that which women give — but 

strong. 
Jesus, unflinching, for the lame dog gave 
His arms, and bore him from the pitiless crew 
John cried, " For shame ! For shame ! " and 

brave words threw 
So hot that all the rogues did melt away, 
Leaving our lads the victors of the day. 
How equal are they in their sweetness, grace, 
While purest manhood shines on either face! 



Jesus to the Rabbis 

I am no Rabbi, but a mere lad, 

Unformed as yet, and ever glad 

To sit at wise men's feet, hear speech 

From lips shaped by high desire 

Unto God's altars where the fire 

Of hope does kindle and thence reach 

To other souls, and there will breed 

From soft, sweet word to kingly deed. 

But I do feel a something stirs 

My soul that cometh not, great sirs, 



I£e Wbo GBon tfte ffilorlD 

From this assemblage. Night and day 
A Voice, lipless, doth speak ; and I turn 
To see from whence, and why I burn 
With joy and such sweet love alway; 
Then to the temple where men pray, 
Still hoping Him to find, the Voice. 
Ye men of vision who rejoice 
In all right knowledge, tell me why 
I see not whom is ever nigh ? 



THE RABBIS AND JESUS 

Then did Gamaliel bend his ear, 
And wonder at the sweet lad's tear ; 
And Hillel placed his hand above 
The boy's broad brow with soothing love 
Until the pain did somewhat leave 
The great eyes and the cheeks aglow, 
And through the swollen veins did flow 
The streams of life with less of grieve. 
Then James, loving — whom all men said 
Had one time seen great Yahwe — led 
Blind Simeon near. And he with joy 
Drew close between his knees the boy, 
Until his white-veiled beard fell down 
Around the curls of red and brown. 
Then : " With mine eyes that see not men,' 
He said, " I see the Lord again. 
It is the same sweet vision lent 



8 ^e ffiJfto MJon tfte ffilorlD 

One night unto my vigil spent 
In prayer." But to the boy he said 
" Know this, there is no holy shrine, 
No temple, like this soul of thine 
Wilt thou by God alone be led." 



JESUS' BROTHER CALLS 

James 
Here are the enthusiasts, enwrapt in clouds, 

inspired — - 
With dreaming have forgot their bellies. 

Faugh ! I'm tired 
Of plotters who the world will never let alone 
To go, as it has gone, to the devil; tossing a 

bone 
Of prayer, mumbleby, jumbleby, to God in the 

sky, 

Cheap as dirt, over and over, pardon to buy. 

Ho, planners of all good ! here now your bodies 

are, 
But where your heads? In Yahwe's sacred 

temple far? 
On Himla's heights? Or in the golden porch 

dost pray 



H)e Mlijo Mlon tfte MJorlO 9 

Of some air temple whose foundations all men 

lay 
And yet will lay these thousand years, ere any 

spar 
Or arch shall climb to meet where gods and 

angels are? 

Look you, Jesus ! Now your father has a house 

to raise ; 
The timbers of live oak lie pinned these seven 

days, 
Waiting your shoulders to bear themselves with 

equal grace 
Beside your brothers, while we shove the beams 

in place. 

Jesus to James 
Full well I know I must about my Father's 

work ! 
And look ye, James, I have no will my load to 

shirk. 



Jesus to John 
I feel a stirring that I do not understand — 
A voice within, around, as some divine com- 
mand. 



io fyt Who M3cm tfae motID 

At night I'm plucked at in my sleep, but when 

I wake 
No one is nigh ; and when I walk beside the lake 
Alone, or in the garden, oft I turn to see 
Who is it calleth, following ever after me. 

John to Jesus 
Dear Cousin! I have felt the same propelling 

Will. 
It is the Past, the mighty Past, that now doth 

fill 
Your soul and mine — yea, all men's lives who 

know it not 
And yet obey. For who hath striving cast his 

lot? 
Is not each one the Past, compelled to do or be 
What drift of ancient heritage decree? 

Jesus to John 

My John, I cannot look toward the setting 
sun 

And count the gliding years that through the 
hourglass run. 

I ever turn my face to where new dawns ap- 
pear; 

With knowledge growing, alway man to God 
draws near. 

In yonder sky behold the rhyme of law obeyed! 



fyt Wlbo Wion tfte E&otID 11 

No star e'er swerves its course, nor sun nor 
moon hath strayed 

One line from rectitude ; so, think I, shall the 
dawn 

Sometime of men arise, that when it sets awest, 

O'er earth the will of God shall every soul at- 
test, 

While to sweet arts of peace will all the world 
be drawn. 



Dear God ! Sweet Love ! I have no heart but 

to obey. 
Thy kingdom come! Thy will be done! alone 

I pray. 
My heart so frames it that in dreams my lips 

move on, 
And all my days this one sweet thrall is worked 

upon. 
Come thou through me dear age of human 

brotherhood, 
And thou most glorious reign of God's rich 

Fatherhood ! 
Let us to Hillel, John. No longer I can bear 
This plucking at my soul that would its gar- 
ment tear 
To get a wider look, free from the flesh and 

dust. 
I must be born again ; take up diviner trust. 



12 J£e Wibo Wion tfte MJorlD 

JOSIAH, GAMALIEL, HILLEL, AND JESUS 
HiLLEL 

That is the son of Mary and of Joseph ; note 
What grace ! What boyish beaut}' ! Each 

movement doth denote 
A body that obeys the soul! The Greeks in 

all their schools 
Have no such models chiselled by Apelles' rules. 

Gamaliel 
Hillel, the brute age dieth ; the soul doth take 

command ; 
And love and loving truth shall reign in every 

land. 

Josiah 
I could die, yea, gladly give my very soul, I 

feel, 
Could I by death the wounds of sin forever heal. 

Gamaliel 
He comes who doth enfold salvation in his 

love; 
And to the lowest stooping, lift all sin above. 

Hillel 
How great the task ! How full of God must be 

that soul! 
Else will he fail ere yet he touch for us the 

goal. 



Ipe a&ljo M3cm tfte M3otID 13 

Gamaliel 
Yea, he and God must be one life, one law, one 

will; 
The Son of God, the Son of Man, at-one-ment 

fill. 

Jesus 
Ye counselors divine, your flawless words I hear, 
The great commission bear without or pride or 

fear. 

Gamaliel 
And for that truth the world shall kill thee. O 

my son ! 
Yet by that death at last the world thou shalt 

have won. 

Jesus 
Now do I lay my hand in God's right hand and 

give 
My soul to follow, be the end to die or live. 

Angels Sing 

Out of the brute man arose; 
What he may be, who knows? 
Ever he has been star led ; 
His eyes now in his forehead. 

God he hath named, and hath seen 
The Eternal in the changing sheen. 
He hath found out the Father; 
What more can he do, or farther? 



PARTING OF JESUS AND JOHN 

Jesus 
This, this, I feel : I know not all, I see but this 

— I must. 
Yea, will I servant of all servants be for God's 

own trust, 
Beneath them all to bend, to bear them gladly on 

my heart; 
The poor man's need my gospel be; to comfort 

all my art. 
So, John, I will not backward look; 'tis only 

this I know — 
That I must lead the way where all the weary 

ones may go; 
Leal ever to the truth and fearing not — yea, 

scorning shame — 
I will henceforth among all men forget but 

Yahwe's name. 

John 
And I, I, John, a voice will be, a cry, a word, 
Calling i' wilderness, * Prepare thou for thy 

Lord.' 

Jesus 
Farewell, my own sweet John ! 

John 

O Jesus, fare thee well ! 

I could not leave thee in kingly palaces to dwell. 



This dress I doff; take thou it, woven seamless, 

whole ; 
Wear it till in thy lot thy work be woven whole. 
Henceforth I will the skins of beasts wrap round 

my thighs ; 
On locusts fare, and honey wild, when hunger 

cries ; 
So will I clarify my soul thrice clear with prayer 
In yonder wilderness, till God shall meet me 

there. 

Jesus 
And I, ah, John ! know not to grieve or to re- 
joice, 
For evermore I hear and must obey the Voice. 
Not to ascetic life it calls ; but where the street 
Is crowded full of life, and pain and sin do meet, 
There must I conquer sin until my hour draws 

nigh; 
And then, ah then, bereft of God perchance, 

must die. 
It is not I that speak ; I know not what I speak. 
My soul is strong in God, but all my flesh is 

weak! 
O dear, my cousin ! John ! Embrace me once 

again ! 
Close fold me to thy heart. Dear God! we be 

but men 
Weak ! weak ! 



i6 %>g g&fto caon m caotip 

Voice 

Thou art my son! 



Jesus 

Yea, Lord, thy Son to be, 
I to myself must die, and live henceforth to 
Thee. 



Once more farewell, my brother, half my soul! 
But, stay ! 

I cannot spare thee yet, yet more must not 
delay ! 

Now go ! And when my strength has come, 
baptized of fire, 

Thee will I seek, and Jordan's holy wave re- 
quire. 

And yet I cannot turn — this path alone to 
tread ! 

Father, grant that we may walk together, led 
As one, that both may stand where one alone 

would slip. 
Grant that this cup of lonely toil pass from 
my lip. 

John 

1 tear myself away, my Jesus! one more kiss! 
Nor longer must our duty wrestle love's fond 

bliss. 



Jesus 
'Tis done ! He goes ! Can angel form be fair 

as thine, 
My John? By this sad parting evermore be 

mine. 



JESUS ALONE 

Jesus 
Now must I know myself — am tossed about — 
Of work and power and will am left in doubt. 
I will awhile in some deserted place 
Forget this body, seek God's helping grace ; 
With chastened soul meet full the tempter's 

power 
And gird myself to meet my trial hour. 



JESUS ON THE MOUNT 

Seven hills there are that raise their barren 

selves 
Above the desert place where Jesus went ; 
Their sides are rugg'd with stones and ancient 

kilns. 
But one stands high above the clouds that rain ; 
There Jesus clomb, and from its top looked 

down. 



The sun, that paled upon the plain below, 
Thrust out its rays to flame the upper hills, 
And folded round the man, and touched the 

mist 
That rolled in fire. His raiment white as snow ! 
His face shone back to meet the sun ! Alone 
He stood and prayed. God met him on the 

Mount. 



THE TEMPTATION 

" This earth," the Tempter said, " is thine. 

Look thou abroad 
Far as the eye that dwells within the soul can 

see; 
Give but thyself to lust of power; let thy great 

soul 
Deny its servitude to God ! " 

"Nay! Nay! "he cried! 
Then turning to the tempting fiend, he angry 

spoke : 
" Get thee behind me, Satan." Flashed upon 

his brow 
The sun like crown of gold irradiant round and 

round. 



I£e t&fto ffilon tfte ffiiorlO 19 

He was the Christ at last — knew well himself. 

To rest 
And glorious end came all the strugglings of 

his breast. 

Some men there are who tell that when the sun 

was gone 
And starless night had curtained close about 

the world, 
Still shone a light as if a sun upon the Mount. 
So from that day the artist paints Christ's brow 

with rays, 
And all who know the victory of that hour give 

praise. 



Mother of Martha and Mary 

Come, children; the broth is on the board. 
Where art thou? The kid grows cold. Our 

hoard 
Is none too great ; to waste the smell 
Were sin, could that your hunger quell. 
Where are the elfs? 

Mary 

Mother, I did spy 
Them crowd a stranger passing by 
A strange fair face, like early dawn 



When with gold it fills the valley lawn, 
And all earth's fairest things leap out 
To shape. So did the children shout, 
And each sweet thing came quickly forth 
To view this wondrous dawn, this youth. 
But I did bid them come, and they 
To all my summons answered nay. 
His arms full, they did tide about ; 
Fill love full ; strangle boyish shout ; 
Did, clinging, strive to touch his sleeve ; 
Nor one would ask his gracious leave. 
Forgetting self, the bold grew meek; 
The rough more gentle; lifted the weak; 
Helped the lame Thomas to his knee. 
My eyes rained as I did see 
This miracle. To myself there came 
A sweet new life that like a flame 
Eats up my older self. I pray, 
Mother, thou'lt come, and then straightway 
The kid thou wilt forget and first 
To behold this One forever thirst. 



Mother 

Mary, thou'rt ever prone to forget 
This earth from labor hath no let. 
Martha I'll send, and she shall bring 
These lads perforce to mine obeying. 



Jl)e ffiBfjo KBon tfte ffilorlO 21 

JESUS TEACHES 

The smell of spring 'gan lay in the dew of the 
soft'ning lawn ; 

Through the sods came up the red tulip to blush 
with the blushing dawn. 

The farmers, with hands full of seed, went sow- 
ing the southern slopes, 

And their souls were gladdening with sheaves 
of unharvested hopes. 

Up rose together the songs of lark and of men 
to the skies ; 

While the world did grief forget, and death, 
and all miseries. 



Then did the Teacher teach from the book that 

is opened wide 
Over the valleys sweet-smelling and over the 

mountain side ; 
And ever the lesson was one of faith in Him who 

fills 
The vales with His wheat and pulse, and covers 

with barley the hills ; 
Who cares for the evil as well as the good, and 

let's run o'er 
His bounty to feed the sparrow that sings from 

door to door. 



" Not Solomon," he said, " in glory was ar- 
rayed 

Like these lilies white that blush beneath the 
olive's shade, 

Or like the grass that blooms beside the camel's 
track ; 

They labor not, nor spin, yet do they nothing 
lack. 

If God so clothe the grass, which is to-day a- 
field, 

Much more His love supply for all your want 
will yield. 

" Strive not, therefore, for things that in the 

use will fail, 
But place your minds upon the right that shall 

prevail. 
Vex not to-morrow for an emptying purse or 

bin, 
But delay ye not to store your treasures heaven 

within. 
Know this — the first great truth — the world 

is God's, and ye 
The children are of Him who fills infinity. 

" For who among ye all, if his son shall ask for 
bread, 

Will turn aside unheeding or toss a stone in- 
stead? 



g>e ffllfto ffilon tfte KlotiO 23 

Much more believe that He, your Father in the 

sky, 
Will heed your faintest whispers and grant you 

full supply. 
But ware the empty soul; by fruit shall ye be 

known — 
Are grapes upon the thorns, or figs on thistles 

grown ? " 



JESUS CALLS DISCIPLES 

John stood most tall and beautiful. His face 
Shone tenderest with love ; each motion grace — 
Unconscious selfhood bending to the weak, 
Yet leaned himself upon the strong; was meek, 
And most of all like Jesus — twinned were they ; 
In will most resolute, yet had no mood 
To sway another's will save for his good. 
O glorious fate, thus tuned for love or fray ! 
A flawless frame; a hand of manly might; 
A heart to guide his hand to flawless right ! 

His brother James, of equal brawn, owned less 
Of beauteous grace, showed less of tenderness, 
Yet was a poet — saw all things afresh ; 
Cared least for traditions and the mesh 
They weave of creeds ; went straight to truths ; 
did spurn 



24 i£e S&fto 22icm tfte EBorlD 

Delay of generous deed from law to learn 
The righteous plan. His liberty was law ; 
Law liberty. No one more quickly saw 
A place for blows ; yet first the twelve among 
To curb his will, put bridle on his tongue. 



To Andrew were confided those affairs 

That linked the Twelve to carnal needs and 

cares, 
While Judas held in charge the narrow store 
Collected to relieve the wayside poor. 
These two were Jews, born merchants, and they 

saw 
The world as traders' see — to buy and sell 
Without deceit did cover all their law; 
Were thrifty, loving gold and silver well; 
Waste they abhorred ; were men of honest heart 
Such as the temples lean upon, and mart. 

Half like to John was Simon, Andrew half. 
Among the Twelve he was the oaken staff 
On whom all leaned. While John to Jesus 

turned, 
To Peter Jesus — building on his strength 
Where all his future church should rest at 

length. 
You should have seen him as he, walking, 

spurned 



All hindrances ; the pliant earth did dent 
With foot to sturdy purpose firmly lent. 
So with his tongue — ever he strode to front ; 
Quick to defy, defend, and bear the brunt. 

But Thomas bore the restless mind and eye 

That looked to left and right as to espy 

The hidden. E'en his mouth stood shaped to 

doubt ; 
His ear was quick to listen, while his tongue 
Quick questioned, and his head slow wagged 

among 
Believers, while his brain oft put to rout 
Great argument. Upon his broad full face 
Oft Jesus, looking, smiled. Devoid of grace, 
Alike devoid of dreams, he held it due 
To honest faith to doubt what's hid from view. 

It was a glorious sight, this chosen Twelve, 
Sent forth to hew old faiths with stalwart helve ; 
Turn upside down the world's philosophies ; 
Change swords to peaceful plowshares ; flight 

the ease 
Of lazy priests ; set formality on fire ; 
Themselves inspired, all nations to inspire. 
All men select — the very pith of those 
Who, following out of Galilee, Christ chose 
To be his seventy. Now shall we see 
How each failed not in glorious loyalty. 



26 !£>e Wibo ffiiott tfte morlO 

JESUS CHARGES HIS DISCIPLES 

The charge was this : " Go ye and preach my 

word; 
Give to all men what, heeding, ye have heard. 
Despise not one — nor rich nor poor ; give ye 
As it is given, without the hireling's fee. 
I send you forth as sheep 'mong wolves; be 

meek; 
Mine own throughout all lands I bid ye seek. 
Fear not the threats of those who cannot kill 
The soul. Fear God alone. Through good 

and ill 
I will be with you. Who would save his life 
Must give it, shunning not the honest strife." 

World Voices 

Sow seed on the waters ; adown the stream 
It shall bear thee a harvest far distant in 
years ; 
And there shalt thou garner, and many shall 
glean, 
Beyond tide of thy cares and flood of thy 
tears. 

Smiles in wheat-fields and vineyards and fruit, 
On the banks of the future, the seed of to-day ; 

Fore-gathering harvests that ripen in age, 
By faith shalt thou reap from years far away. 



^e £2Jf)o ffllon tfte MioriD 27 

Jesus 
To ZzVr, that is the problem ; nor forsake 
One thought that God has loaned thy soul to 

make 
Its future self. I come your lives to save ; 
To make them broader, larger, stronger, brave; 
To teach salvation from destroying sin ; 
From selfish purposes your souls to win. 
Live ye in others' hopes ; their wishes heed ; 
To lift the weaker; cheer the hapless need; 
Befriend the lonely, and the sinner aid 
To see more widely and his doom evade. 
Hate none, nor scorn the meaner caste ; 
Know that with God the first may yet be last. 
So, ever sending all your sympathies abroad, 
Your life shall widen to the life of God. 
Then shall ye be His children and shall say — 
And feel the truth — ' Our Father,' when ye 

pray. 



THE BEATITUDES 

Now listen to the eightfold path that doth up- 
ward climb 

To leave the sensual life and reach the life sub- 
lime, 



28 !£e ffllfto Wion tfte (KBorlD 

For true the elder sages were who called the 

way 
Eightfold that leads the soul to everlasting 

day. 



Believe me that the first step upward is to know 

That thou art poor in soul, and ignorant, for 
so 

Thou shalt despise not learning — being over- 
wise — 

For such as learn shall hold the kingdom of the 
skies. 

Next know that, wouldst thou still ascend the 
height, 

The second step is grief, but tarry not till night 

With sad remorse — he mounteth best who swift- 
est turns 

From evil, hates the past, and new temptation 
spurns. 

Next they who, with the truth sincere, God's love 

do seek, 
Are teachable like children, ever patient, meek, 
Thrice blessed shall be; for theirs is all the 

earth contains 
And erstwhile length of days to added truth 

their gains. 



l^e ftO&o COon tfte ffiloriti 29 

This won, the next step like the former is — but 
glad 

The soul now leapeth — seeking all that may 
be had 

Of honor, virtue, wisdom, and God's righteous- 
ness. 

Each step adds joy; right onward will the soul 
now press. 

But he that, being filled, would on the eight- 
fold way 

Sit down discussing heaven, or turn aside to 
pray, 

The sinner's doom rehearse, his own elected 
grace, 

Forgetting love to many, still faileth in the race. 

The sixth step is for those whose hearts are 

purified, 
To whom the world is fair and good; and far 

and wide 
They see all things as God's sweet face, nor ill 

can see, 
As others all things vile, whatever they may be. 

Now doth the eightfold path appear a grievous 

toil! 
Peace is the seventh step — forgetting strifes' 

turmoil, 



30 g)e gatjo Man the ftfflorlD 

The clash of creed contention, and the baneful 

pride 
That often friend from friend and kirk from 

kirk divide. 

The last, sublimest step is this — no more re- 
mains : 

Bear thou the scoffer's sneer; endure for truth 
the pains; 

Fear not the sword; unflinching stand for 
right ; — 

Though thou shouldst die, thou still hast won 
the fight. 



HIS DISCIPLES ASK A PRAYER 

Disciples 
Master, wilt thou not teach us how to pray? 
John's followers bend the knee three times a 

day; 
And thou dost know the Pharisee and priest 
Seven times twixt suns bow rev'rent to the east, 
Nor hold they him to be a man of God 
Who lays not oft his forehead to the sod. 
Teach us that prayer that most shall pardon 

win, 
And spoken swiftest, free the soul from sin. 






I£)e TOo Cfflon tfje g&otlfl 31 

Jesus 
Prayers cannot save; words have no cleansing 

power 
Though thou shouldst tell them skyward every 

hour. 
They most do pray who most their sins eschew, 
Nor hope by forms their lives to hide from view. 
Thou canst not batter down the law 'gainst 

wrong 
By crying, ' Lord ! Good Lord ! ' however long. 
Ware those who stand within the temple's fane 
And make loud prayer in hope high heaven to 

gain. 
When to the Father thou wouldst speak — yea 

must, 
Thy spirit burdened — go with childlike trust ; 
Dare not with role of words to din the street; 
Within the soul's closed chambers learn to meet 
Him who in darkness sees, in silence heeds, 
Above the priest's proud prayers, the harlot's 

needs. 



THE PRAYER 

Our Father who dost dwell in all the heaven 

above, 
Rule us, Thy creatures frail, by all-controlling 

love; 



32 ^e Too agon tfte (K3otID 

Thy name we hallow, whatsoever each may call, 
When upward-looking, cries he to the Lord of 

All. 
Thy will be done through all the bounds of life 

and light, 
As every star obeys Thee in the realms of night. 
Give us, Kind Parent, day by day our needed 

bread, 
But more to see Thyself that thus our souls be 

fed. 
Forgive our selfish greed, our unforgiveness, 

Lord, 
As we to tolerance turn and equal rights accord. 
The trial of our faith adjust with tenderest care, 
And save us when we fall within a tempter's 

snare. 

So pray; but know that he who scorns his 
brother's cry 

Nor notes the meanest call for human sympathy, 

In vain will seek to win from God what he de- 
nies 

To man — unheard his grievous pleadings and 
his sighs. 

Now wouldst thou know the secret of success? 
'Tis here: 

'Tis faith in God, to tread His footsteps with- 
out fear; 



H)t MJJjo Won tfte GHorlD 33 

'Tis faith in that propelling mighty Will that 
leads 

Through all events, all times, all hapless, cheer- 
less deeds. 

All moments are the heartbeats of Eternal 
Life; 

All centuries, incompleted purposes at strife. 

Believe with all thy might in God, His love, His 

will; 
That all things shall be right to those who 

would fulfil 
The right. Plant firm thy feet where duty 

points the way ; 
And, upward-lookers, wait thou for the breaking 

day. 
When all the web is woven, all the figure 

writ ; 
Then shalt thou know why patiently the weavers 

sit. 



Axgels Sing 

Who hath an ear the song to hear, 
Of morning stars around earth's sphere 
Will learn no new refrain to guide 
The golden orbs that ever glide. 



Jesus to His Disciples 

Ye are the eye of the world, and the world shall 
learn by thee 

The love and the loving life of the Father Eter- 
nal to see. 

Seek the lost to save throughout all lands, and 
the world that is wide; 

Nor sect shalt thou know, nor for race nor for 
kin shalt thou divide. 



Ye are the light of the world. Teach the gospel 

of love that is new ; 
And the gospel of hate and of force that is brute 

ye shall eschew. 
I bid ye as one to be, as I with the Father am 

one; 
And so by thy labor at last shall the world in 

triumph be won. 

Ye are the salt of the earth; and that which 
else would die 

Shall be lift by thy words from death to immor- 
tality. 

But if salt its savor shall lose, how worse than 
death itself 

Shall be the lot of the savior that fails to save 
himself. 



l£>e Ulbo Uion tfte JKJorlD 35 

THE DISCIPLES ASK A VISION OF GOD 

Disciples 
The Father show! Then will we be 
Contented, Lord, to follow thee. 
But now we've searched both earth and air, 
Called long and loud with honest prayer, 
Nor face have seen, nor voice replies 
To ease the grievance of our cries. 

More kind, the earth upon its breast 
Like any mother giveth rest ; 
The sun bestows a radiant love; 
The stars look kindness from above. 
Now would we, Lord, the Father see 
As plainly as yon tamrisk tree. 



Jesus 
Me, Philip, thou hast seen — hast walked 
I' fields, of corn and lilies talked. 
Believe me, I am in the Father 
And He in me ; seek thou no farther. 
God is a spirit, and must be 
So worshipped ; not as stone or tree. 

Since in these feet, these eyes, this hand, 
I am not seen, does doubt then stand 
That I am here? Dost fail to love? 
Nay, John, my throbbing heart above, 



Lies warm thy head; nor do I fear 
That thou wilt question I am here. 



JESUS TEACHES THE DISCIPLES 

Jesus 

All things are pure, thyself at first being pure ; 

So sin shall cease, death die, and peace bear 
fruit. 

All things take on the texture of the soul — 

At last the whole is well or all is ill. 

So all things are to Him, the Eternal Mind — 

Who sees no parts but one great whole, him- 
self— 

All things as truth — no failures and no wrong. 

Who one with God becomes, seeing good — 

And good alone — none can his soul destroy ; 

But he whose vision sees the ill, the false, 

The foul, the base, becomes himself the false. 

Death works no miracle to break the power of 
sin. 

Here lieth safety. Who wills against the light 

Is lost ; he saved who holds the eternal right. 

Angels Sing 

This world is but a single star. 

And all the worlds united are. 

One law of love doth ever run 

From sun through each remotest sun. 



fyz TOo ft&on tfre morlD 37 

JESUS TEACHES THE DISCIPLES 

Jesus 
To all that darkness love shall come the Light, 
The truth shall dissipate their well-loved night ; 
Out come all sin ; all wrong at large be writ 
Upon the brow, the deeds, the will. F the pit 
Of his own conscience falls he who makes a lie. 
The fire that the soul kindleth shall never die. 
The moon looks down on Tophet! The bones 

lie white, 
Piled high in pitiless mounds that wolves af- 
fright. 
'Tis the Vale of Death where, tho' the tempest 

rage — 
Pour Heaven's great tears man's sorrows to 

assuage — 
Yet are the fires not quenched. Bones cling to 

bones, 
And fusing, confused, do lift themselves in cones. 
So death doth live ! This is the life of death, 
The heaving of breasts wherein there is no 

breath. 
The worm dieth not from out this grievous Hell ; 
In eyeless sockets makes his monkish cell, 
Or tunnels crumbling death in tortuous way, 
While clay o'er clay doth hold eternal sway. 
Such is the soul where burns a Tophet fire — 
Forever dying, yet cannot expire. 



JESUS MEETS THE SCRIBES 

He and his Twelve amid the ripening wheat- 
fields w r alked 

Of a Sabbath mora, and of the red-lipped lilies 
talked — 

How, spinning not, they did so much of glory 
gain, 

Trusting in Him alone who sends the sun and 
rain. 

And all did pluck the bearded kernels as they 
went, 

Then, blowing chaff, were still upon his words 
intent. 

Their fast they broke, not heeding that they 
broke the day 

Till certain scribes came scowling down the hill- 
side way. 

These, as they met, cried out in wrath : " Hast 
thou forgot 

The law that Moses gave for rest; or carest 
not?" 

But Jesus turned himself about and said : " Not 

law 
Nor God's great love do these men know, but 

teeth and claw — 
The husk that claims a tooth for tooth, an eye 

for eye ; 



i£e TOo fflJon tfte KtJorlD 39 

That saves the letter writ, but leaves the soul to 

die; 
Believes that God can tamper with eternal good ; 
Be satisfied with incense i' lack of rectitude. 
Do thou the right, unfletched thine honor ; truth 

obey; 
And know that God requires of us no idle day. 
My father worketh hitherto all days in seven, 
Nor gives the sun or stars a shortened route in 

heaven." 

Once more he turned and said : " Being lawyers, 

know that law 
Was writ ere Moses, praying, ten commandments 

saw — 
The one great law of Love that all laws doth em- 
brace ; 
Eternal ere the worlds and heavens had found 

their place, 
Ere days were made, or years, or man, or great 

or least, 
That might be haggled o'er by prophet or by 

priest. 
All weeks are fronted as they go with hours of 

rest 
To give to six days' honest toil an added zest. 
'Tis work, not idleness, that holds God's praise. 
All days were made for man, not man was made 

for days. 



Angels Sing 

The Holy Writ, the Word of God, 
Is printed in both soul and sod. 
'Tis but the love of law men need 
That they may all its statutes read. 



Nicodemus 
Master of Truth, of God born, Love incarnate ! 
These are no crumbs fallen from tradition's 

plate, 
But bread of life that, in the dying soul 
Eaten, doth wake new birth, making sad hearts 

whole. 
Here have I sat in judge's seat these many years, 
Weighed law divine in scales 'gainst hopes and 

fears ; 
Have heard from God no whisper ; heeded books ; 
Judging for the Eternal by lawyer's crooks. 
But now I know that thou dost learn thy law 
Of Him who sees in righteousness a flaw. 
Teach me the words of wisdom that I may 
In truth be called Judea's Light alway. 



Jesus 
Hear, Nicodemus : God's first truth is this — 
Thou canst not see the light, though plain it is 
As yonder star that tips the western hill, 



fyz mbo Won tfte OlotID 4i 

Nor hear His voice that all the world doth fill, 
Till thou art born anew. 

Nicodemus 

What sayest thou — 
Can man a second time be born? and how? 
Reenter whence he came his mother's womb, 
And so reborn escape the gaping tomb? 

Jesus 
Most truly say I, subtle art will fail 
To give thee wisdom, nor will aught avail 
Until thyself art changed and from above 
Of God born ; loving truth, thyself art love. 
Then shalt thou seeing, see, and hearing, hear; 
And judge in holiness as God is near; 
Thyself a mirror, giving forth His light 
As in yon lake each star repeats this night. 

Nicodemus 
I know not what thou sayest ; can it be 
That I am yet unborn ? I came to thee 
To give me law, but thou hast taken away 
E'en that I brought, myself ! Yet here I stay ! 
I would that I may have such power as thine, 
And God with wisdom in my sayings shine. 

Jesus 
Would temple roof beseech the sun to illume 
Its rusty dome, and thus to shine assume? 



42 ^>e mbo £2ion tfte MlorlD 

Or, burnished fair, would need no prayer to win 
The sun's great love to dwell its depths within? 
Thyself aright, pure, free from selfishness, 
God lives already in thy words to bless. 



MESSENGERS COME FROM JOHN 

Messengers 
We come from John, who sends thee cousin's greet 
And prays ye soon, as in the old, may meet. 
No whit of boyhood's love he doth abate 
For one who in all sports he held as mate, 
To whom in riper years of youth he gave 
Each thought, each hope, each purpose, gay or 

grave. 
Now would he know if, having heard the call, 
Thyself being tested — stood with God, faced 

all — 
Thou art the One hoped for, needed to mend 
The world. Canst dare the fight unto the end — 
Bow not to Moloch, riches, flesh, or power — 
Until shall come in death thy conquering hour? 
Canst gather all, unto the uttermost, 
Their souls baptising with the Holy Ghost ? 

Jesus 
Go now, tell John what ye have heard and seen : 
From old-time hidden truth I lift the screen : 



Oe ffllfto MJon tfte ffllorlD 43 

My gospel preach I to the poor, and free 

The wisdom that the schools hold privily. 

I came to save the sinner, not the saint ; 

To rescue sufferers, whatsoe'er the taint. 

Tell John I heal the sick ; the outcast lift ; 

With love the veil 'twixt God and man have rift, 

To market bring the gems of human wit — 

Salvation, Rabbis hid in sacred writ, 

Upon the housetop speak I — nought have said 

In secret — God's sweet truth to children fed. 

So am I son of man, and in such wise 

Am son of Him, our Father in the skies. 

No other warrant bear I but the word, 

The love, the work, the truth that ye have heard. 

Tell John the love I gave to him of old 

I give to all the world, nor aught withhold. 



JOHN IS MURDERED BY HEROD 

Jesus 

my John, thou beautiful brother! 
In all the world I have none other 
Like thee. Thou wert one-half of me ; 

1 did, loving, so lean on thee — 
The front, the head, e'er running on 
To take the brunt from me, my John ! 
Yea, thou so gentle wert withal, 

And yet so brave, without a call 



44 fyz mbo 2Hon tfte 22lorlD 

The lambs, seeing thee, came to thee, 

And the birds did leave the cherry tree 

To perch upon thine arm. A dove, 

I remember, in his sweet love 

Did pluck for thee a date, 

And gave, as to his mate; 

Then softly with his beak 

Did touch thy peach-like cheek 

As doubting but thou wert some rare 

Rich fruit — thou were to all so fair. 

Now I alone must go ; and none 

Of all this crowd beneath the sun 

Can hear the voice that we did hear : — 

Nay ! all shall hear and heed it ere 

The Spirit dieth from the call 

We only heard. God doeth all. 

JESUS BY THE LAKE 

Beautiful lake of Gennesaret ! Gem of green 

Galilee! 
Villages six and hamlets many make round about 

rim for thee. 
Dreamily thy waves beat 'gainst orchards of 

olives, making soft sound 
Where wine presses color thy waves, so closely 

the vineyards stand round. 
Slow moving in lines, along the highway rolls the 

grain-laden cart ; 



tyz Wibo Wion tjbe ffl*otID 45 

While cottagers fill hampers of figs that asses 
bear off to the mart. 

Down to thy waves, far reaching, the shadows 
of mountains at night 

Span over gold grain fields, and pastures green, 
with sheep dotted white. 

Doves fly over the house tops like clouds, or set- 
tle to feed on thy sands, 

While storks stand gravely and wise, not resent- 
ing the touch of men's hands. 

All the picture is peace, and poetry dwells round 
the rim of thy sea, 

Most beautiful lake of Gennesaret, gem of dear 
Galilee. 

Cool are the springs that leap from the hillsides 
near loved Magdala 

And smooth are the roads hewed in rocks where 
men go down to Bethsaida. 

Vines clamber the steeps of the hills and over the 
trees of the vale — 

Grapes cluster, dipping down to the waves, where 
fishers fling out the glad sail. 

Here came the Master of love, and his ways were 

those of the valley green 
That holds to its heart this beautiful sea, the 

fairest the eye hath seen. 
And around him men clustered, and women came 

from far and from near, 



And the children looked love for his love, and the 

birds sailed close without fear. 
He taught them the lessons God giveth to hearts 

that are loving and pure ; 
That, heard well and heeded, to sadness of souls 

will ever give cure. 
And they loved this beautiful teacher so like 

their own beautiful vale ; 
To whatever truth he sowed in their hearts 

giving heed without fail. 



JESUS TEACHES PARABLES 
The Prodigal, Son 

Jesus 
A man did have two sons : the one a proud-souled 

lad 
Who never made his father either grieved or 

glad, 
All duty did with ready will, and turned again 
As oxen in yon field obey the voice of men. 
No riot in his blood did break upon the sea 
Or ripple his unvarying will's monotony. 
The father oft would praise the goodness of the 

lad; 
They worked together, sharing whatsoe'er they 

had. 



l)t Wfoo fflion tbe ft&orlO 47 

Not such the younger son, in whom a warmer 

vein; 
Hot blood leaped up to fire the tinder of his 

brain. 
In him the father saw himself, and face to face, 
Regretful, did his youthful passions oft retrace. 
At last this boy would try the world. " The 

goods," he said, 
" That will be mine, give now — then I'll with 

Fortune wed." 
His father gave. And wandering aimless, he 

soon spent 
His portion, living riotous. With short lament 
He to a swineherd hired himself, the swine to 

feed. 
Nigh starved, he shared their meals and ate the 

pods with greed. 
Sad was his state ; and stripped at last of all dis- 
guise, 
He saw himself as he had seemed in others' eyes. 
" Ingrate ! " he cried. " I'll rise and to my 

father go ; 
Confess my utter baseness, and reveal my woe. 
Perchance I'll win from his dear love forgiving 

grace, 
And he will grant to me a menial's place." 

Across the hills he flew, o'er which he once did 

roam, 
Until he saw the spot beloved by him as home. 



48 tyz Wibo ffllon tfce M3orID 

His father, whose sore heart had never known 

sweet rest 
Since first his boy had left the safe parental nest, 
All watchful, day by day, afar his son did see 
And ran to meet the prodigal most rapturously. 
Upon his dear loved neck he flung his weary 

arms, 
And weeping loud, he held him refuged from all 

harms. 
He bade the servants take him to his boyhood's 

bed; 
" Kill quick the fatted calf that he be therewith 

fed; 
Wash him, and clothe with softest raiment of the 

press " — 
But still the lad held close with kiss and fond 

caress. 
" It is not meet," the boy replied, " that I should 

be 
Again a son ! But as a servant look on me ! 
Thy substance I did waste ; thy love I did abuse." 
" Put on the robe of welcome and on his feet put 

shoes. 
Spread, spread the feast ! " the father cried. 

" With me have joy ; 
For he I mourned as dead is once again my boy." 
The elder son went homeward from his daily 

task, 



l)t ftObo ft&on tfte CffloriD 49 

And hearing sounds of feasting and of joy, did 

ask 
The cause. And when they all replied, " He has 

returned, 
Thy brother! And thy father joyeth," envy 

burned. 
He sore complained that he had never been made 

glad 
With feasting or with costly shoes and raiment 

clad, 
Though ever faithful. But he who had wasted 

half 
Their living, turning, had the ring and fatted 

calf. 
His father said, " All that is mine is thine, my 

son. 
'Tis true thou hast been faithful, left nought 

undone; 
But now my soul's delight denies its daily bound 
Since this thy brother, whom I mourned as lost, 

is found." 



This was the story as he told it to the crowd ; 

And some approved his words, and some con- 
demned, aloud. 

The scribes said well that Jesus taught, with 
something more, 



New laws, unlike the eye for eye of legal lore — 
Yea, a new God, the Lord of Love, who'd 

choose for His own 
The sinners, not the saints. One flung an angry 

stone, 
Crying, " Shall then the publicans and harlots 

rise 
To higher seats than ours — repenting in such 

wise? " 
" Yea ! " answered Christus, " In God's king- 
dom they shall be 
Foremost who, having sinned, do, turning from 

sin, flee. 
So shall the harlots, grieving, enter ere the 

priest 
Who, little erring, also knows of love the least." 

The Sower 

All the hillsides are ribbed with the farmer's 
furrows, mellow and brown ; 

And the ravens caw, ever awaiting the scatter- 
ing of seed falling down. 

High over the valleys the vineyards stand, and 
the huge winepress, still. 

The orchards of olives below grow green at the 
sun's sweet will. 

Broad terraces round the hill brows wind up in 
successive zones 



t)t Mlf)o Uion t&e MJoriD 51 

Where the scanty, rich soil is held 'gainst flood 

tide by walls of stones. 
Now all the wild rosebuds are touched with the 

blood of spring, 
While the sowers with songs, going over the 

brown earth, swing 
Their flail-like arms, and the seed that is sowed 

before them flies. 
Some on furrows that are softened falls, and 

there with joy it lies, 
Till the shouting lads and the patient, slow oxen 

press down 
The seed into earth's welcoming bosom, mellow 

and brown. 
But the tortuous paths are sacred as highways 

ever to men — 
Hard trodden, and strewed with stones from the 

fields cast up again ; 
There the plough touches not, but there also 

some seed doth lie, 
And the birds from the blue come down and 

glean with a joyous cry. 

The Master and favored disciples walked at high 

noon with love 
Where the path did wind among the fields that 

hung high above 
The valley brown and over white Bethlehem's 

walls arose. 



52 l)t WbQ &Bcm tfte ffllotID 

And he saw in his mind the souls of men where 

the good God sows 
And the seed of truth falls — some in the fur- 
rows turned by love 
Till carefully the treading duties of life cover 

it warm above; 
But some on the hardened tracks that are trod 

by wilful sin; x 
And some on the souls that are shallow in love 

and faith within, 
Giving seed but a day of life and a pledge that's 

unfulfilled, 
Lacking the golden sheaves where the soil is 

deep and tilled. 
Turned about, the Master told this tale of the 

sowers sowing seed ; 
And some said, " What is it ? " But others with 

thinking eyes gave heed 
To a larger hope and a harvest of gold in the 

nobler life 
That is willed when the soul with the Sower of 

Good ends strife. 



The Man Among Thieves 

A trader out of Jericho once went 
With woven goods on peaceful traffic bent; 
But thieves, that herded in a narrow pass, 
Fell sore upon him, beat him, killed his ass, 



And, taking goods, did leave the man for dead. 
Another traveler whom business led 
Came near and saw him bleeding i' the wood ; 
Leaped off his ass, and as best he could 
Bound up his wounds, mounted him instead, 
And gently to an inn his burden led, — 
There cared as for a brother. When he went 
He gave the keeper silver; and that spent, 
If still the sick man, healing, needed more, 
He would return betimes and pay the score. 
His creed he knew not, nor his native tongue ; 
Enough his lot had cast him thieves among. 
He was a human brother ; asking nothing more, 
He gave him brother's love and paid a neigh- 
bor's score. 



JESUS IS QUESTIONED 

Twelve Pharisees by chance beneath a spread- 
ing oak 

Sat grouped at early noonday where their fast 
they broke 

With roasted pease; and much they talked of 
Moses' law 

And what tradition gave, and then bemoaned 
each flaw 

The people, having less of righteousness than 
they, 

Brake i' the edge of stricter godliness each day. 



54 l£e COfto ftOon tfte ftOotlD 

Keen grew their loved debate of primal sin and 

all 
The consequences of our earliest parents' fall, 
Of righteousness by faith imputed, and the sin 
Of those who used the Sabbath even life to win. 
" Master," cried one, " if any fowl an egg shall 

lay 
Whilst caged for sacrifice upon a festal day, 
Is't lawful that the egg be eaten?" "With 

what oil 
May one on Sabbath day illume his measured 
" toil?" 



Just then twelve Sadducees came proudly down 
the path 

Where farmers cut with joy the autumn after- 
math, 

And laughing loudly as they saw the Pharisees, 

They cried, " Behold ! Behold ! What holy men 
are these ! 

Half Moses o'er their broad phylacteries 
stitched in, 

They've less of need for love and law their souls 
within. 

' Book-searchers ' they, who think the universe 
to find 

Inside their vellum rolls by the Eternal counter- 
signed. 



fyz OOfjo {tOon tfte G3orlO 55 

Behold!" they jeered, "what heavy shoulders 

these men bear, — 
Tipped over, not with brains nor common sense, 

we'll swear, 
But by the enormous weight of laws they sought 

to bind 
On us while they the vowel points of right 

defined. 
' Broomstick Pharisees,' with legs so piously 

inlaced, 
They've all the righteousness with which a fowl 

is graced." 
So chaffing scornfully, they girdles loosed, and 

drew, 
With basket store, a leather flagon into view. 

But scarce had these quenched thirst when 
through the bearding wheat 

By camel path came Jesus and his Twelve, the 
heat 

To escape beneath the selfsame trees. Intent 
were they 

Upon the lesson which he taught them by the 
way, 

For he would have them single-eyed to truth, nor 
turn 

Aside from love and faith the legal husk to learn. 

" Beware," he said, " the leaven of the Phar- 
isees ! 



56 fyt JKBfto KBott the SHotlO 

By fruit alone ye judge your fig and olive trees ; 
So men. Whoso shall justice do, that man is 

right, 
And justified shall stand in Heaven's revealing 

light. 
Know this — it is the reign of good I come to 

teach. 
This is my mission. God shall yet all nations 

reach. 
All evil shall be overcome ; the world anew 
Be made by love. 'Tis yet a mustard seed, it's 

true, 
But this believe, that I and my Father are as 

one, 
And ye must work with us till every land is 

won. 
Behold I to the poor preach broadcast — not by 

stealth ; 
But the rich despise not, nor envy thou their 

hoarded wealth. 
In God's sight are no chosen — the little ones 

above 
The great he places, and the weak he exalts with 

love. 
Beside the man the woman — equal partners 

these." 
Thus spake the Master as they came beneath the 

trees. 



SCRIBES QUESTION HIM 

Scribes 
Now would we, Master, thou shouldst plainly 

solve 
Some riddles of our law, our doubts dissolve. 
Long have we waited one whose clearer sight 
Might add authority to native light. 
What is the law in one short sentence spelled 
That one may learn, his arm at length outheld ; 
Or on one foot, well-balanced, say it o'er 
And yet have time to say a precept more? 

Jesus 
'Tis here: Do thou to others as thou would 
Have others do in turn. This holds all good. 
No more remains of wisdom to be said ; 
Yet said, to action let thy words be wed. 



QUESTIONED BY THE PHARISEES 

Pharisees 
Say which command is greatest of the ten 
That Moses gave to guide the lives of men? 
Solve this, great Master! We will then resign, 
Confess thy gospel and thyself divine. 
Which is the first of all the great commands? 
Which is the least ? Which i' the middle stands ? 



58 i^e ffiBfto S23on tbe ftOorlO 

Jesus 
What rank is there to Nature's unborn laws? 
If one be broken all the rest have flaws. 
Wouldst thou be perfect thou must surely find 
For every duty full accord of mind. 
Who breaks the finest thread of truth and right, 
Will break the cable if he have the might. 
But here's all law ; with all thy honest mind 
Love God, and in thy neighbor ever find 
Thyself ; with all thy heart and mind and soul 
Give love divine o'er all supreme control. 

Pharisees 
Now wilt thou give our consciences reprieve 
That oft in ignorance are left to grieve, — 
How oft shall I a brother's sins forgive 
And bid the breaker of God's laws, " Go, live "? 

Jesus 
" Seven times," one Rabbi ; another, " Seventy," 

saith ; 
But Hillel, " While for repentance he hath 

breath." 
I say, forgive as thou wouldst be forgiven ; 
Thus shalt thou honor God and enter heaven. 

Pharisees 
Still, Master, have our teachers disagreed 
When from the marriage bond a man is freed. 



^e TOo ffllon tfre C&otlD 59 

For what offence be set aside a wife — 

Name these, and end our Rabbis' wordy strife? 

Jesus 
Whoso unite, united are. They twain, 
No longer twain, are one, and shall remain 
One mind, one flesh ; in hope, in purpose one ; 
Nor aught shall sever till their lives are done. 

Pharisees 
Solve once again our trouble, Master, pray ! 
Can we, as honest Jews, to Caesar pay 
The yearly tribute, or shall we withhold 
When servile publicans demand our gold ? 

Jesus 
While ye from Caesar hold not back his dues, 
See that to God his tribute none refuse. 
This penny bears the stamp of Caesar's face ; 
Your bodies bear the stamp of God's good grace. 
The penny's Caesar's ; ye are God's — pay then 
Yourselves to Him, the silver unto men. 

Pharisees 
If thou be Christ, then take of the stones we 

tread, 
By word divine ordain they shall be bread. 
Then will we worship thee ; but if canst not, 
These righteous stones shall drive thee from the 

spot. 



60 fyz ft&fto S&on tfte HBorlD 

Jesus 
Why should I to sate your gaping for the odd 
Or get your idle seal that I am God, 
Play pranks — turn useful stones to useless use ; 
Curing no one of lies, nor less'ning abuse? 
I do not deal in Godhood as you do sell 
Your manhood — if therefore ye stone me, well. 

THE SADDUCEES AND JESUS 

Again the Sadducees made quest : " A man 

being dead — 
As Moses bid, a brother took his wife to wed ; 
In turn full seven did have the woman as a wife. 
Now if there be, as some affirm, another life, 
Wilt show whose wife she is, or will be, in that 

day 
When, as they say, the dead arise from death's 

decay? " 

" In this," the Master said, " from truth ye 

wander far, 
For in the resurrection ye as angels are." 

JESUS CALLS NATHANIEL 

Jesus 
Under the fig tree when the dew, 
Nathaniel, wet thy garments through, 
And round thy knees the lilies white 



fyt mfto mow tfte rnotio 6i 

Looked glad to see the morning light ; 
Ere stirred the world of trading men, 
Devoid of guile I heard thee then, 
While softer than thy words there fell 
God's answers, all His love to tell. 
Then did thy face shine toward the sun, 
But of its radiance borrowed none. 

Under the fig tree, Nathaniel, 
In prayer at noon I saw thee kneel — 
When the great leaves hung down for heat, 
And lizards basked on wall and seat — 
I heard thee then, and in my heart 
I called thee. Why dost thou start? 
Thou heardest my call, and lo, thine eyes 
Did look up startled to the skies. 
Yea, so it was I called thee then ; 

* Follow thou me,' I call again. 

Under the fig tree at close of day, 
When down the vale long shadows lay, 
I heard thee lift thy prayer sincere 
In accent softening with a tear ; 

* My knees, Lord, chafe this kindly sod, 
Craving one word from thee, my God ; 

I seek not wealth, nor Paradise, 
Nor that I may be overwise. 
Wilt speak one loving word to me, 
Or deign that I but look on thee? " 



62 J^e MJfco 2x3on tfje &3otlD 

Nathaniel 
Thou, thou, art the Son of God ! 
Thou art the longed-for Israel's Lord! 
Cleaveth to thee my soul with trust ; 
I will no more kneel i' the dust ! 
While God I sought through distant sky 
He hath revealed Himself as nigh — 
Yea, hath spoken, and hath made known 
That in the heart of man is His throne ; 
Hath shown his love and faithfulness 
And his ever readiness to bless. 



WOMAN OF SAMARIA 

Maid Solus 
High noon sits on the valley. Down the dusty 

way 
The long line of camels moves toward the village 

grey. 
The ugly drivers beat their leathern sides with 

staves, 
Or cross the creature's flanks stretch out their 

dirty calves. 
I hate men ! Trees I love ! I would I might 

always sit 
Here, under loving branches where birds do sing 

and flit, 
By the old well, on moss ; smell the wet air bub- 
bling up; 






And look about the valley ; sometimes fill the cup 
Of a traveller, and skins for camels, oxen, 

sheep ; — 
And think until my soul like well grew cool and 

deep. 
There is no peace with men: they quarrel over 

peace ; 
Break heads about religion, love, and women; 

lease 
Themselves to all clangor; bowl down each 

other's gods. 
Let them eat now and fill themselves. I'll have 

on these sods 
An hour alone, only for the bees that sip and 

sing, 
Spending whole days in red ripe lilies rum- 
maging. 

Jesus 
Maid, wilt lift that skin of water to my parched 

up 

That I, now tired, may life renewed and sweet- 
ened sip? 

Maid 
Good sir, I will. But whence so sudden earnest 

thou here, 
Thus startling my sweet reverie to half-formed 

fear? 



64 foe TOo gxflon tfte ffiBotia 

Besides thou art a Jew and I Samaria's maid ; 
No Jew doth grant, or even take from us, love's 
aid. 



Jesus 
'Tis true I am a Jew — but more the son of man ; 
I measure not my love by Pharisaic span. 
The time shall come — yea, draweth nigh — 

when neither here, 
Nor in Jerusalem alone, shall men draw near 
The God of Truth; but whoso, worshipping, 

shall mind 
The truth, they in spirit shall the Father find. 
Know that of one blood God made all races of 

mankind — 
The Jew, the Greek — one only law of love to 

bind. 

AT THE POOL 

Elizur 
Here we are again. Legs, arms, bellies, and 

backs, 
All sore, broken, or twisted! And what one 

lacks 
Some other'll furnish. And when the angel 

comes 
Why one or two of the lucky will pick up the 

plums. 



&e ftOtjo Wion tfte motlti 65 

Then the brigade'll march off for another year. 
Crutch-music on the pavements awhile yet, no 

fear ! 
This angel's a lout to leave us roasting what's 

left 
Of our bone-sacks, to save his wings an extra 

cleft. 

Simeon 
Elizur! you'll have your jest out o' the mouth 

of death; 
As for me, joking is scant for lack of breath. 

Elizur 
I swear by Herod there goes Levi, bed and all ! 
Hard waiting for the lazy angel's stirred his 

gall. 
He's off on sound legs ! Cured by clear grit ! 

Up and try ! 
Damn angels that loiter while we lie here and 

die! 
My back's weaker than my will. I'm dead i' the 

middle ; 
Both ends good ! Who's to patch head to heels ? 

That's my riddle. 
There are my heels, all right ! Here's my head ; 

as heads go, sound ! 
But what's a head good for minus legs to 

carry't round? 



66 fyz Wibo ftfflon tfje gxBotlO 

A fellow's all links ! Break one, the whole is 

spoiled. Crier, cry : 
' Here is a heap of odd limbs at auction ! The 

lot who'll buy?' 

Simeon 

' Heels and tongue ' you should say, you bab- 
bling fool ! 

Your back's given out carrying such a tool. 

Elizur 
An odd hundred, I say, of legs, heads, and 

heels ! 
Misfits in generation — at birth wrong deals ! 
But a good patcher could patch, out of the 

whole pile, 
A score o' carcasses would be worth the while. 

Simeon 
Hold thy shallow pate ! Or I'll crack with this 

crutch 
A head that nothing'll cure of gabbling o'er- 

much. 
I'd more that some good soul in passing by 
Would blow on me wi' wind o' sympathy. 

Elizur 
Ho, is it sympathy, Simeon? Why, there goes 
a priest — 



One, two, three of them ! — home from their 

latest feast! 
Wiping their chins of the bits their bellies 

wouldn't hold ; 
Not quite through grinning over the last lusty 

story told. 
Sec what Godly, pious dresses ; and how their 

faces fat 
Fit their phylacteries, while each hugs his 

prayer mat ! 
Such knees as those mustn't touch the plebeian 

ground ! 
More need of angels to patch their souls, I'm 

bound. 
Their noses crook down, their eyes crook up ! 

Good Lord ! 
Good Devil ! That's it ! With what's going we 

accord ! 
Get Heaven by all means — but get the earth 

as well : — 
That's business ! At this rate what's to become 

of Hell? 
The rascals prate with their tongue to abuse 

the Devil, 
Every other organ — body and soul — given to 

evil. 
Oh, it's fine to preach justice, truth, and Eter- 
nal Right ; 



68 l^e ft&bo Ulon tfae flOotID 

Tell off their musty prayers to Everlasting 

Might; 
But with looking up and looking down they 

never can 
Sidewise sight to see the wants of a fellow man. 
Hell will catch none at this rate. Lock it ! I say, 
But for us poor dogs who've sinned the Holy 

Ghost away. 

Simeon 
Elizur, you may chaff, but one day I did feel 
A touch, a breath, a something that did through 

me steal 
As Life were passing near — a Presence which 

did leave 
Me thinking sweet of childhood and how then 

doth weave 
A mother's love about a babe, feeding it to 

strength. 
E'en thus, I think, if God should, pitying us at 

length, 
Draw near, His life would live in us ; would fold 

us in, 
Bidding us live in His life, forgiving all our 

sin. 
I do since pray that this which did then barely 

touch 
May find me once again; then farewell to this 

crutch. 



©e Wiho mon tfte £OorlD 69 

Jesus 
Why sitst thou here ? Why in this knotted mass 

of broken clay 
Dost lie, and look so wistful toward the setting 

day? 

Simeon 
Aye ! and why not ? No friend have I when the 

water boils 
And the angel's power is in the stream to help 

our toils. 
So lie I here while others crowd before, and I 
Have nothing else to do but wish and wish to 

die. 
And yet — this moment — I do feel a strange 

delight 
Around my heart, creeping like day upon long 

night ! 
My limbs do stretch themselves ! O God, my 

cords untwist ! 
Old days are whispering in me, hope's boyish 

tryst ! 
The warmth of life is rising in my blood, my 

brain ! 
What is it beats on every sense? what joy of 

pain ? 
For all these years two score of dead unbroken 

woe. 



70 fyz Wibo Wion tfte ftOorlo 

Of pain unleavened, were as nought to this sharp 

flow 
Through veins of quickening life. Once more I 

dare to hope. 
Ambition wakes. New thoughts break loose 

with pain to cope. 

Jesus 

Thy sins forgiven are. Arise, take up thy bed 

And go thy way; by God's sweet love hence- 
forth be led. 

Thy faith hath saved thee, Simeon, while this 
fleshly crew 

Know not it is the soul that must the flesh re- 
new. 

Simeon 
Nay, 'tis thine own true soul that foldeth now, 

unseen, 
My feebler self. I felt thee passing yestere'en. 
Thy presence did but barely breathe upon my 

woe, 
And who or what thou wert, my Christ, I could 

not know. 
But now I feel thou art God's son — Eternal 

life — 
To lift our bruised souls from wreck of carnal 

strife. 



l£>e mho ffiJon tfte M3otID 71 

Elizur 
Simeon, I feel a strange stir of life 
In these twisted bones of mine — a strife 
With decay. Creeping through this dried flesh 
There is quickening, and the shriveled mesh 
Of muscles do round themselves and fill 
With something soft like youth ; a thrill 
Leaps through me, to and fro, like shuttle 

thrown 
By weaver! I cannot quite help groan; 
Life tugs at every chord; all this bale 
Of old ropes untwines. Up with the sail ! 
Simeon! See! Behold! I rise up! I stand! 
I, that these forty years have clawed the sand. 

Simeon ! Ho ! Hast thy crutch forgot ? 
I'll bring it ! Here it is ! What ! will not ! 
Thou, too? Thy bones untwisting yield 
To the soft power of faith? Annealed 
Thy splintered spars which so did sway 
Slovenly with thy flesh? Let us away. 

The Healed Sing 
Sweet Teacher of life's better ways, 
We'll pour the goblet of our days 
Into hope's golden years. Thy love we'll sing, 
And evermore to thee will reverence bring. 



72 l^e mho ffllon tfte COorlD 

What else were dull and lustreless 

To shining doth the sun caress ; 

So hath God shone upon our grievous woe 

Till darkened souls with glorious love do glow. 



WORKING AND HEALING 

" Jesus of Nazareth passeth by ! " 

Such at noon was the joyous cry ! 

The children shouted, the old men run, 

The mothers shaded their eyes from the sun. 

Those who had broken themselves with sin — 

The halt without and the halt within — 

Hoping, yet doubting, ran to see 

What this Nazareth prophet's power might be. 

Lepers afar stood up the street, 

Fearing, but longing, the Lord to meet. 

Aloud they cried, " Wilt thou but heal, 

None shall vie with the leper's zeal." 

Listened the blind as if to see 

From his wonderful words what his face might 

be; 
And the deaf, intent on his lips, would hear 
The soul of the sound that fled the ear. 
The crowd pressed close on every side. 
Out of the market poured a tide ; 
Out of the houses, great and least ; 



And jostled by beggar came the priest. 
" Who did touch me ? " Jesus said, 
Turning about his golden head. 
" Why should you ask, when pressed upon 
By such a crowd," said gentle John. 

" It was I," said a voice of tremulous fear. 
" I thought could I press the Master near 
And touch his robe — the uttermost hem — 
'Twould the tide of my trouble quickly stem. 
If I wronged the Master, I pray forgive ; 
I would not rob him, myself to live." 
But the Master replied, " Be of good cheer. 
Thy faith hath saved thee ; go without fear." 

Angels Sing 

As all world atoms do intwine 
Their common purposes divine 
So joys below make joy above — 
The heavens respond to earthly love. 



JESUS QUESTIONS THE DISCIPLES 

Jesus 

Whom say men I am? 

None can know me ; 

Alone before me, 
The way narrows to death. 



Whom say men I am? 

I turn to the crowd ; 

My soul is bowed. — 
Narrows the way to death. 

Whom say men I am? 

I would make God known ; 

Man to God atone. — 
All the way narrows to death. 

Whom say men I am? 

Some ' Elijah risen ' ; 

Some ' John from prison.' — 
The way narrows to death. 

Whom say men I am? 

Thou art the Son of God ! 

All ye are sons of God ! — 
Death leadeth unto life. 

Whom say men I am? 

He that opens the door; 

None shall close evermore. — 
Death leadeth unto life. 

Whom say men I am? 
Whoso self would save 
Let him loose sin's slave. — 

Death opens into life. 



Mary Magdalene 

Aye, let me but bend and kiss 

His feet, and I will weep 
My soul out there, such bliss 

It is to know this world 
Is not all selfishness. 

I, who have been cursed 
And flung about by men, 

Loved for their own vile sakes, 
Do love in turn — giving all. 

Let my hair, nature's veil, 
To hide my woman's shame 

Fall o'er my face here bent 
Close to these unsandalled feet. 

Nay, I will not go ! Thyself 
In all this world doth save; 

My only hope is here. 
Tears ? aye ! But I will wipe 

Them thus, e'en with my hair. 
I know not why sweet life, 

And hope as fresh as dew 
Touch now my soul ! My sins 

Afar grow ! — shadow like ; 
And still recede ! O Christ, 

I love thy love, thy peace, 
Thy calm, pure holiness ! 

The very air that folds 



76 i^e Wlbo SHon tfte &OorlD 

About thee charged is 

With purity and strength. 



Jesus 

Flow on, thou fount of woe; 

Pour tears without restraint 
Till grief doth find relief, 

And sweetness overflow 
Thy soul, born new with love. 

Daughter, although thy sins 
Were scarlet, they shall be 

As snow — thy soul as white ! 
Trust God; believe in me; 

For as I am, so God, 
In whom is life and love, 

Who would not that a soul 
Should die, but, turning, live. 
Pardon for thy sins I give. 



JESUS' DOCTRINES CAUSE DISPUTE 

Jesus 
Who shall conquer the world? Who bring 
Order and peace from chaos? No king 
With armies, none mighty with law, 
Nor he who interpreteth without flaw. 
Strong arm brings strife ever to strife, 



^e ffilfjo ffllon tbt MJoriD 77 

Stirring death into mortal life. 

He that would be king, let him first rule 

Well his own spirit, learn to school 

His powers, observe the inner law; 

Then shall he judge another's flaw. 

He that would be first, let him be least; 

Then shall he know to be judge or priest. 

The Crowd: One 
Aye, that is it, Simon. Conquer the world 
By lying down instead of being hurled ! 
The rascal's foot put on your neck and pray 
The dear Devil not to take his hoof away! 
Art smitten on one cheek? Turn then the 

other ; 
The striker call by the sweet word ' brother.' 
Hast lost a coat? Then to the thief go toss 
Another garment, thus to lighten loss. 

Another 
Have faith ! Look at the lilies afield 
Who toil not, spin not, nor tools need wield ; 
Live ever at their royal ease, 
Yet have their fine phylacteries. 
There's the new gospel we have heard : 
God lives to feed the lazy herd ! 
Watches for plucked hairs that fall 
From beggar's head, and counts them all! 



JESUS CLEANSES THE TEMPLE 

Jesus 
Priests, lawyers, scribes, plunderers all, 
Turning God's house into butcher's stall ! 
Who now shall cleanse the temple ; sweep 
Defilement into one vile heap; 
The torch apply, and thereon build 
The love of all that God has willed? 

One of the Crowd 
So ho, Bar Abbas! A miracle 
We did demand and here it is — 
The crowd, subdued, moves sweetly off 
Like whipped dogs. Aye, we all, 
Not used to fear, but somewhat rough, 
Are sneaked away, lo here, lo there ! 
'Twas yester I did see him lash 
The temple traffickers — a crowd ! 
And laughed to see them curse and run 
Sheep, cattle, fowls, and hypocrites. 
See, here the stone I would have flung 
I swear by Moses I'll let fly 
At the first priest that passes by. 
Bah! To feel that stout fists and arms, 
Good jaws, and old style righteousness 
Of sticks and stones is losing ground! 
So this new law of peace comes in. 
No law to be left but love ! and love ! 



Dt mf)o warn tfte motiD 79 

Moses is now as good as done for 1 
Forgive ! Forgive ! I say forgive 
Your enemies ! Love those who hate ! 
Gehenna's out at this damned rate. 



OX THE MOUNT OF OLIVES 

'Twas morn on the Mount of Olives where the 

slope 
Toward Jerusalem did glorious visions ope. 
Behind, the Dead Sea and all that cheerless plain 
Where Jordan threads its way with tortuous 

gain. 
All death was there; all life was here. Palms 

threw 
Deep shade abroad ; doves 'mong the branches 

flew; 
And merchants, bearing food spread out on 

trays, 
Invited all to buy who passed those ways; 
Gave nuts and parched wheat and skins of milk, 
And spread soft cushions woven rich with silk. 
Four ancient cedars crowned the topmost 

knoll. 
These knew old Salem in its primal role; 
Had watched the change from huts to sculp- 
tured gate ; 
And still with calm its future lot did wait. 
A gentle slope there was of gardens green, 



so fyz TOo &3on tfte fflSotlD 

Of farms, and avenues of figs between, 
That eastward led ; and then Gethsemane, 
Half way from Salem's toil to Bethany. 
O'er every path vines arched their verdant 

green, 
Clomb trees and cottage walls till half unseen 
For bounteous clusters. There shepherd with 

his crook 
Led gently down the way by Cedron's brook. 
The sun, just risen from the eastern sea, 
Shone down on Salem's hills most gloriously ; 
Now crimsoned day displaced the placid night, 
Flashed temple towers with gold, and silver 

white 
The flat roofs gleamed. To traffic oped the gates 
And throngs poured in with wine and oil and 

dates, 
While other throngs poured out on merchant 

quest — 
The laborer seeking wage where wine vats 

pressed 
The vintage, or where aftermath of grass 
Was borne upon the back of camel and of ass. 
The toilers song, to cheer his task, rang out 
Through all the thickly wooded vale — the 

shout 
Of driver, and the merry laugh that noon 
Would make forget with weariness full soon. 



Xpz ffiifto Wlon tfte ft&orio 8i 

THE LAST SERMON 
Upon the Mount sat Jesus, and he taught 
All those who for his matchless wisdom sought. 
This was the last time that the Lord would call 
The folk from labor in the field and stall. 
" How did his words within us burn ! " they said 
When they recalled how love with wisdom wed. 
At his feet the Twelve ; beyond, adown the slope, 
A sea of eager faces lit with hope. 
Long taught he as if loth to close ; then o'er 
The valley bent his look, and taught no more. 
Still gazed he at the scene of latest toil — 
The gardens, vale, and Cedron's silver coil. 
Beyond the temple glorious one might count 
The glistening domes on fair Moriah's Mount 
Whence roar of distant life did beat the air. 
Then Christ his silence broke, " O city fair ! 
Once more, Jerusalem, within thy gate 
I pass — the last ; then leave thee to thy fate. 
How oft would I have gathered from the snare, 
The wile that kills the soul, thy children fair; 
But ye would not ; and now the fatal hour 
Draws nigh, and I must yield my power." 

JESUS CALLS FOR AN ASS 

Then rising from his seat, like to a king 

He spoke : " An ass from yonder village bring. 

I will fulfill the prophet's words, will give 



82 fyz OJfto Wion tfte MJorlO 

To David's city one more chance to live. 
And yet I say to you the time draweth nigh 
When not one stone shall on another lie 
Of all those walls where yonder temple stands, 
The very glorious sum of all Judean lands." 



JESUS IS HAILED KING 

And they brought an ass and over him spread 
Their garments ; and mounting their king, they 

led 
The way through the valley to Salem's hill, 
While the crowd did all the highways fill. 
To left James strode ; Simon to right ; 
John, fearing for Jesus, liked not the sight. 
Out of the houses and from every side, 
Leaving their labors, folk swelled the tide. 
Down from the hills came an aftermath, — 
The people with joy, the priests with wrath. 
And the men and maidens down did fling 
Branches of trees with their blossoming — 
Roses of crimson, plucked from the walls, 
And cherry with petal white that falls. 
And ever the growing multitude, 
As if by a single will imbued, 
Sang, " This is our glorious David's son — 
King of the Jews; his reign begun." 



JESUS REFUSES THE CROWN 

But Jesus spake to them, " Be not deceived this 

day. 
My kingdom of this world is not — of hate and 

fray. 
I love my Father well; He, loving me, might 

send 
From heaven legions twelve of angels to defend. 
But whoso draweth sword, by sword in turn 

shall fall; 
There is no lasting kingdom but on love must 

call. 
Yourselves first rule, this knowing well — he is 

not king 
Whose head the smith shall crown with gold, on 

anvil shaping. 
So shall ye be God's sons and with Him rule 

alway, 
Nor shall the humblest perish in the fateful 

day." 

Then did some turn aside who heard the newer 

law, 
Saying, " Who now alas, shall stand without 

a flaw 
At judgment seat? The foremost shall appear 

the last, 



And last the first — the Tables Ten forever 

past." 
But some were glad, for in their hearts they'd 

read 
The Golden Rule ere yet to words it had been 

wed. 



PRIESTS IN COUNCIL 

Caiphas 
Now must we, Yahwe's priests, swift counsel 

take 
Ere this small heresy, like the first flake 
Of snow on Ararat, do multiply, 
And over Israel the pall shall lie. 
It spreads apace. The common folk are caught 
By cunning mesh this silver tongue hath 

wrought ; 
Love ! Peace ! Plenty ! Toil not nor spin ! 
But share your purse, and trust to God your 

bin. 
Great Yahwe'll fill! His children shall not fail 
Of bread and wine, or come to any ail ; 
Stones he will turn to bread! water to wine! 
Make fishes jump by faith from out the brine! 
Aye, aye ! Only follow him ; believe ; obey ! 
Cast law, tradition, prophet all away! 



Then down with temple ! No more need of 

priest ! 
The last shall first be ; greatest turned to least ! 
Down go we all ; the beggars will up come ! — 
Of this cursed blasphemy that is the sum. 

Hiklel 
His face is not such chiselling as those Greeks 
Across the bay set up — with eyes and cheeks 
And chin all measured by the inch and line; 
But more than all their gods, his is divine. 
His is a forehead broad, as it would say 
' O'er the whole realm of nature here lies sway.' 
His nostril to great speech doth open wide — 
Not swift, but passionless and strong, the 

tide — 
Dividing cheeks of real flesh, warm with life, 
Not marble like your quarry gods. He is Life. 
Behind his eyes — 'tis there the mystery layeth ! 
A fount divine, deep-welled in rock of faith! 
His lips are not word-full. His speech doth 

reign 
Where thought and love are tangled i' the 

brain ; 
O'er all his words a great compassion flowing, 
Compasseth and comforteth me scarce knowing. 
His deeds so played the fountain in mine eye 
That I did crave to touch his mantle passing by. 



86 ^e Wibo ft&cm tfte saotID 

Simon 
Here's John, who so did mouth his brave in- 
tent, 
And on the gapping crowd his courage spent ; 
But when this Jesus oped his lips, his own 
Were shut as when a crab grips finger bone. 
His oaths did die in his gullet downward, 
Rumbling as the colic had him inward ; — 
Didst note ! Ho, John ! brave John ! Art con- 
vert now; 
Ready before this fine young God to bow ? 

John 

Though but a carpenter's son, thou canst not 
say 

He did not bear himself Godlike in the fray. 

Dost know a God, Simon, when dost chance to 
see? 

Art sure of the Devil soon enough to flee? 

Must hunt God ever in vellum, moth-eaten, 

Frizzled by mumbling priest, and scribe-writ- 
ten? 

May not Yahwe be i' the round world still, 

So one may hear him speak his recent will? 

Where else, where better, the Eternal meet 

Than in fair Bethlehem's or in Salem's street? 

Is He these years more dumb, or man's need 
less, 



©e TOo ffiJon tfte ft&orlD 87 

That God be not abroad to curse or bless? 

Are there no wombs He may these days be borne 

in, 
No souls in our times He will deign to live in? 
Then have the laws and temples been a curse, 
Leading us backward — all ; no better, but 

worse. 
Am I convert? I know not. I'm through 
Trailing about with your much-preaching crew. 
I'll to doing ! 'Tis all is left. Let me but obey 
What laws I find within mine own soul alway. 

Simon 
What think'st, Gamaliel? Can we longer bide 
While blasphemy becomes resistless tide? 

Gamaliel 
I like not, Simon, lifting of the sword. 
Oft Yahwe cometh as the peaceful Word. 
Aye ! and the Word in all the world will sheathe 
All swords at last, and men will learn to breathe 
Sweet peace and love. I know the might of 

God; 
I would not from His hand we seize the rod. 
He'll rule, ne'er fear ; and with Him right ; 

the wrong 
Shall not be final, though at times all strong. 
So let us bide ; and if this thing be ought 



88 tyz Who flOon tfte (KaotlD 

Of His, 'twill triumph; else, 'twill come to 

naught. 
Thou hast my mind. There are to fear much 

more 
Than this young zealot — yea, at temple's core. 
At heart of our fair church lie ills that smell of 

death. 
I sicken not when some fresh breeze doth give 

me breath. 

Simon 
Gamaliel! Thou no whit better art than 

he, 
This Nazarene who paradeth heresy. 
Thus blasphemy doth get the bits in teeth; 
Trampeth good discipline its feet beneath; 
Defies the law; the elders brings to scorn 
Because our counsels are by treason torn. 

Joseph 
Hist ! hist ! Son of Belial ! Darest pluck thus 
At beard of the greyest, wisest, among us ? 
Learn wisdom ere thou showest thy small store 
To all the world ; speak wiser or no more. 

Simon 
No more I will ; but will I act this night. 
Words I will sheathe; to silver trust the fight. 



THE LAST SUPPER 

Jesus 
Let not your hearts be sad; believe 
In God ! For me ye need not grieve. 
Believe in me; I will not leave 
You comfortless, but I will be 
Where } 7 e are gathered — two or three. 
This fair sweet world which now ye see 
God's house is, where ye may abide 
One hour; but mansions rich and wide 
Remain. And those whose lives are tried 
And fail not at the final quest, 
Shall reach unto God's highest rest. 

Jesus to Peter 
My Peter hath no weakness save 
That he will not be weak; too brave 
In speech, his hot words quickly burn; 
Is hard of hand, of visage stern. 
He likes not here, my breast upon, 
To see the drooping head of John; 

Says nought, but looks askance; denies 
The love he feels ; to passion flies 
Lest one surmise a gentle strain, 
Yet let a dog but cry for pain — 
Off goes his coat; the cur to save 
He'll plunge at midnight in the wave. 



90 fyz WlbQ ffiJon tfte MlorlO 

Well named The Rock! My church I'll build 

By such a corner rock upheld. 

But, Petros, ere that day shall be 

Thou wilt deny thou knowest me. 

First must thou find how weak thou art 

Ere thou canst take the builder's part. 

Peter 
Nay, Master! Though the world deny, 
All men — yea, every one — shall fly ; 
Yet will I not. Firm will I stand, 
Undaunted; wield in this right hand 
The sword that will thyself defend 
And every wrong to right amend. 

Jesus 
There is a strength thou knowest not, 
My Peter. To learn it is thy lot. 
They that the sword do draw, by sword 
Shall fall; there is in one soft word 
More strength to turn this world about 
And put great evils unto rout. 

Peter 
Master, listen ! Here do I swear 
No cowardice shall ever bear 
Me from thy side. 

Jesus 

Indeed a Rock 
Thou art ; but by the crow of cock 



This rock shall shaken be — that heed ! 
Naught else can teach thee all thy need. 



Jesus to John 
So like to him, the John whom Herod slew ! 
We were as one — no diverse purpose knew. 
Lay here thy head ; 'twill ease the pain I feel ; 
The wound of love 'tis only love can heal. 
Lean here upon my heart ; let thy swift breath 
Decide: Canst drink with me the draught of 

death? 
Draw closer still. Thy love doth gather round 
The pain that Herod made — that lasting 

wound. 
Methinks that brow was made so fair, my John, 
For God to write his Golden Law upon. 
Now say, canst drink my cup? The hour is 

nigh 
That for the world's good hope the Christ must 

die. 



Jesus to Judas 
O my Judas, didst thou not love me then, 
Thou, when we talked of this sad world and 

men; 
Did lay our plans whereby we might lift up 
The sinful? Droppest gall into my cup? 



92 tyz W&o ftOott tfte ftfflorld 

Clean wert thou, O my Judas, as yon cloud ! 
No taint of vice had stained thee, ever proud — 
Yea, proud ! In that the secret of thy fall — 
Proud of thy goodness ; condemned us all ; 
Too proud to wait on God, to trust the end ; 
And to God's plans thine own frail wit would 

lend. 
But know that all the threads that we have spun 

God knows, 
And will together weave when He His shuttle 

throws. 



IN THE GARDEN 

Jesus 

Alone with Thee, my God! 

I wet the dew-wet sod. 

Not one is left! Wilt Thou 

Touch now with love my brow ? 

O Father, in this dread hour 

Take not from me Thy power. 

Must I, Godless, alone, 

Losing sense of help, atone? — 

I, in my poor flesh, and more 

In spirit bruised sore ? 

Show me Thy face again, 

Ah God ! once more. Just then ! 

In the hour ! my hour ! yea, mine. 



i^e Mlbo SOon tfte ffllotlD 93 

I did forget ! Not mine 
Until I stand alone 
And so do make atone. 
Whither shall I turn, for now 
Not God will help ? My brow 
Is wet with dew. 'Tis blood ! 
Welling from life's flood, 
It breaks its boundary 
To set my spirit free. 

Jesus to Sleeping Disciples 

Wake ! wake ! my brothers, wake ! 

Can ye not watch one hour 
While I with prayer must test 
My soul's extremest power? 

Wake ! wake ! O brothers, wake ! 

The time fast draweth nigh 
When I for self must live 

Or for the world shall die. 

Now ye poor weary ones, 

Not knowing, sleep and sleep ; 

But I, alas, alone 

Do weep, and pray, and weep. 

God ! friends ! heaven ! the world ! 

All fail ! Why kneel I here ? 
It is the end of prayer — 

The end, glad end, of fear. 



94 ^e &3f)0 Wion tfte axBoclD 

Sleep ! sleep ! ye weary ones ! 

My cross is all my own. 
Sweet cross ! dear lifting cross ! 

How dear this night thou'rt grown ! 

Sleep ! sleep ! my brothers, sleep ! 

Your cross ye soon must take ; 
Full soon the world will learn 

To hate you for my sake. 

Wake not ; but take your rest ! 

Why vex you with my woe ? 
Beloved, the hour is here ; 

I pay the debt I owe. 

Though morning sun find here 

My tears upon the sod, 
Yet they shall filled be 

With light and hope from God. 

Angels Sing 

Only love immortal is, 
Leading mortal on to bliss ! 
Christus stoopeth now to win 
All men's hearts from death and sin. 
Thus he drains the immortal's cup ; 
They that hate shall lift him up. 
In his death ye all shall live; 
Life and love doth Christus give. 



TRIAL AND CRUCIFIXION 
Pilate's Wife. 
Pilate, I pray have nought to do 
With slaying Jesus ; all night through 
I've tossed in dreams that do alarm 
Lest him thou bring to any harm. 



Pilate Solus 
Aye, aye, my sweet ! The women dote 
On this fair king. We'll have the vote 
Of the rougher sort — the cursed crew 
That hounds my court. I hate a Jew ! 
A dozen priests in a roaring crowd ; 
A dozen devils to mischief bowed! 
By God ! they have no mercy ! Hark ! 
They set the rabble on to bark — 
Aye, and to bite, were not good spears 
At hand to quicken wholesome fears. 
Now whet their slavering jaws to rend 
This Jesus ; I'm the law to lend 
To cloak the damned deed ! Let's see 
If subtlety will set him free. 
Here have I caged Bar-Abbas, thief, 
Who pillaged synagogues — the chief 
Of robber clans ; 'tis him they dread 
Above all men; would love him dead. 



96 5>e ftBbo KBon tfte KBorlD 

I'll put him in the balance. Choose 
Twixt him and Jesus, noble Jews ! 



To the Jews 
Good friends, I have a whim to please; 
Jesus or Bar Abbas will release. 
Choose you ! 'Tis mine this time to obey 
Your choice! Him I'll release straightway. 

The Jews 
Give us Bar Abbas, wilt thou set one free ! 
A loyal Jew, to Yahwe true, let be ; 
Though he have taken moneys not his own, 
His prayer and ours will for that sin atone. 
Away with Jesus ! Kill him ! Crucify ! 
There is our choice ! let all blasphemers die ! 

Pilate 
But what of evil hath he done? 
Our law demands the crime ; no one 
It slays unheard. Say who hath aught 
To accuse? What evil hath he wrought? 

The Crowd 
Thy word, Pilate, is given ; thou canst not 

deny. 
Away with Jesus ! away with Jesus ! Let him die ! 



So we, the people, being made voters, vote 
Bar Abbas loose ! This our decision — note ! 
As for the other rogue we all say nay ; 
Give him a dose of Hebrew law we say. 
Or here's a good two thousand Jews, each one 
A stone in hand ; we'll cast our votes ; anon 
The trouble's ended. Pilate, thou'rt no friend 
Of Caesar — mark that well — if thou do lend 
This fellow aid, the would-be King of Jews ! 
Bar Abbas ! ho ! Bar Abbas the people choose ! 

Pilate 
I'll keep my word, accursed crew ! 
To that I'm bound e'en with a Jew ; 
But this man's blood with you now stands. 
Ho ! water bring ! I wash mine hands 
Of the foul stain ! Let no one say 
I slew the man; I but obey 
Your custom. Let your scribes attest ; 
His blood with you and yours doth rest. 

The People 
On us ! on us ! and on our children be 
The blame ! On us the blood most willingly ; 
We'll ever bear it till the world's remotest end. 
But speed the cross ! lest thou to other counsel 

bend. 



98 5)e 22!J)o &3on tbe OlotlD 

JESUS GIVEN OVER TO BE CRUCIFIED 

The Mob 

A king ! Joab ! a king ! we coronate, 

Wilt have a crown, king? Here're thorns for 

thy pate. 
Give him a sceptre ! Strap his throne on his 

back; 
The King of the Jews must not for honors lack. 
Blindfold the God! Now let him prophesy! 
Who struck thee? was it Jochabed or I? 
Buffet him ! buffet him ! Now hear him pray ! 
Come, little Godlet! what is't would he say? 

' Eloi ! Eloi ! ' He's calling Elias to come. 
Quick, give him a sop of gall his pains to numb ! 
See that the nails are strong, and drive with a 

will! 
Seize on there, Paulus ! hold him firm and still ! 
Come, here's your chance ! Other rascals you 

would save; 
Now save yourself, Savior, from death and 

grave. 

Another 
Well, now, he has some pluck ! He'll never 

wince 
Nor whine ; carries himself like a real prince ! 
Here is his coat, one piece ; toss up ! Who'll 

wear 



ipe ffljfao mow tfte ft&otio 99 

The robe of God? 'Twould be a shame to tear. 
Now see his dainty flesh! Lay on a rod! 



Another 
By Yahwe ! I like it not — too like a God 
He bears our thrusts ! I feel about my heart 
A melting of my flesh ! I'll take his part ! 
I'm growing like some woman ! Nay, I'll leave ; 
I'll strike for him unless I flee ! I grieve 
That I did cry to crucify ; that face 
I'll never from this brain of mine erase. 

Another 
Let up, ye cowards ! Have ye now no shame ? 
A convert ? No ! I bear an honest name ; 
But a Jew, and any honest Jew, can see 
This man is half a God — half devils ye ! 
Wilt slay me too? Well, that is better yet 
Than I had thought ! Ho ! Now, sweet Christ, 

well met ! 
When in thy kingdom thou art come at last, 
Remember me, forgetting much my past ! 
And so by one rare thought of tenderness 
I blot my record. Men this deed will bless, 
Forgetting all my wrong! O happy hour 
That blends my fate with one of Christly power 
To save ! Aye, save ! for I am saved. I hate 
My former self. Myself anew create; 



loo I0t Ulbo Mlon tfte ffiUorlD 

In this man's love and loving life newborn ! 
I laugh your spears and all your taunts to 
scorn. 

Others 
Well, well ! here's company ! That's fair ! 
We'll swing them together i' the air. 
Gods lonesome grow, like men, if left too much 

alone. 
So, rascals, see thou'rt social on thy triple 

throne. 

Another 
The sport grows dull, old crone, and leaves a 

taste 
That's not o'ersweet. Serve Satan in hot haste ! 
Then leisure take ; repent a bit, and pray ! 
By ones and twos the crowd has dropped away. 
I'm off ! The devil take the deed now 't's done ; 
On this night's wrack will never rise God's sun. 



ON THE CROSS 

Jesus 
Pity me, O God ! O world ; this sad sore wound 
Of sin here in my heart ! I on the cross bound 
Am no more I — but all this piteous crowd. 
With all men's woes and sins am I endowed — 



l£>e mbo Wion tfte ffilorio 101 

To feel, to bear, endure, and still to hold 
Fast on Thee, O my Father ! Now wilt me en- 
fold 
Tenderly or I fail ; and with me all these 
Thou gavest me by love's pain to release? 

Pity me ! pity me ! for how can I now sustain 
In this sore heart such infinite of pain? 
For this I toiled, endured; it is my hour. 

Father, let me not fail ! Have I the power 
To kill the self that in this flesh hideth 
Lest it all hopes of victory o'errideth? 

1 turn, I travail — broken, dying, tossed ; 
At last, dear God, in Thee myself am lost. 

World Voices 
Now, now, is he king, and he shall rule by love 

alone ; 
And man unto God by his glorious faith shall 

he bring at one. 
To him shall the nations come in the ages yet to 

be; 
And before him the might of hate and wrong 

shall forever flee. 

Other Voices 

The brute age dieth — let it die ; 

The love age meets us from the sky. 



102 i£e cai&o mon tfte 22JcrID 

The struggle changes ; henceforth be 
To save — not slay — man's destiny ; 
To lift his neighbor — not tear down ; 
To help the weak ; not wear a crown 
Of lordship, but pluck from death 
The wounded — give sweet breath 
Of tender words to those who err; 
To sore, sad hearts love's oil and myrrh. 

Men and Angels 
He has failed not ! he has failed not ! Thy son ! 
He has finished the work Thou gavest him to 

do! 
He has overcome self; the world he has won ! 
He will gloriously gather all men to his heart ! 

He shall live ! he shall live ! in the souls of men, 
In all fears, in all pains ; in all far-reaching 

hopes ; 
All ages shall crown him, till time shall die, 
The most glorious Christ, the Beautiful One ! 

They shall sing! the}' shall sing! his boundless 

love 
In the golden days when the Golden Rule 
Shall all laws displace and the farseeing soul 
Shall seek his own good i' the good of the 

whole. 



l^e (KBfco 2x3on tfte SxaoriO 103 

ACCUSATION AND DENIAL OF PETER 
One of the Mob 

Here we'll have our sport, 
Hold a Marginal Court. 

Another 

This fellow is one of the fools 
That followed him, ready tools 
For sedition ! Note his tongue 
Bewrayeth he was among 
The pestilent herd. Tweak 
His nose that he shall speak. 

Peter 

Thou liest ! I never saw 
The victim of your law — 
Traitor ! robber ! what not ! — 
Till I saw him on this spot ! 

Another 

Aye, but I swear I've seen 
This fellow but yestere'en 
Trailing with the trait'rous crew. 

Peter 

Thou liest ! I am a Jew ! 
Thou a publican spy, 
Sold to all infamy ! 



104 tyz <K3i)0 GBon tije MIorlD 

PETER'S REPENTANCE 

Peter 

'Tis midnight! The cock croweth! 
Who knoweth what he knoweth? 
'Tis midnight for all the world ; 
The sun from heaven is hurled ! 
I think I am as one dead 
There is such ache i' my head. 
Where am I? What have done? 
To myself am lost — undone ; 
A liar leaning on pride. 
'Tis broken. I but divide 
With Judas — traitors both ! 
Sealing treason with an oath. 
Hands off! The cursed cock 
Scoffs at me — the Rock ! 

He told me this, ' Your pride 
Is near to cowardice allied.' 
The tears that I would shed 
Are coals that burn my head. 
My brain's afire ! Ah, God ! 
My tears would soak this sod. 
Wilt thou not let me weep ? 
What use? I've sowed! I reap! 
Would weeping cleanse my stain, 
Trodden love make whole again? 



J£e Who ffllon tfte C&orlD 105 

JUDAS' LAMENT 

To the Priests 
Thieves ! liars ! murderers ! I am as thou art, 
Henceforth damned for this, my traitor's part. 
Take back this cursed silver ! See ! 'tis red ! 
'Tis blood! 'tis fire! It burns my hand! my 

head! 
The flames rise, taking my wits for nutriment! 
I've done a deed, God knows, I had not meant. 
Dost hear? The blood thou'st shed was inno- 
cent, 
Ne'er to treason nor to blasphemy was lent. 
It burns, I say! Take back the curst stuff! 

Save, 
Ere I fall headlong in unhallowed grave. 
See, Yahwe, these thy priests — holy ones 

all! — 
Set to save the world from doom of Adam's 

Fall! 
Poor world ! poor souls ! poor I ! As wolves 

they save — 
I' bottom of their bellies — rotten grave ! 
O Christ ! O Love ! forever lost to me ! 
That I should do this foul thing unto thee! 
All the world, knowing thee, shall curse my evil. 
Thou Jesus! I Judas! Thou God! I devil! 
So shall all time pinion me against thy grace ; 



106 ^e ffiKJjo Wion tfte ffiJorlS 

Contrasting, paint me in the traitor's place. 

I loved thee ! that thou knowest ; but the fight 

Grew thick. There was no rest — nor day, nor 
night. 

'Twas Peter said we soon must meet the spear 

Of Roman soldiers — draw the sword — 'twas 
clear. 

The people expected this ; would take no thought 

But deliv'rance would by miracle be wrought. 

I knew thou wert no king, nor sought to be; 

Being something better, why should'st a prince- 
let be? 

What then? A mob some day — short shrift; 
quick strife — 

Those iron men of Rome would have thy life. 

A dozen simple fellows ! a mob at bay ! 

A dozen swords would brush them all away ! 

They said they would but end the bitter strife ; 

Withdraw thee from the crowd, but spare thy 
life. 

O head I O soul ! 

Wilt take this silver, priests? Then will I fling 
Upon this marble floor — and may the ring 
Ne'er leave thine ears, bring vengeance on thy 

crime 
Till thou shalt taste of Hell's infernal clime. 



©e ffiJfjo Wiotx tfte JKJorlD 107 

Priests 
Take off the crazy fool. What's that to us ? 
If he have sold a man of righteousness, 
The deed's his own ; the blood's on him alone ; 
Not on us, or ours, rests it to make atone. 
Begone with him. We've won; that's all our 

plot. 
Hang him on yon tree i' the temple's lot; 
Then take the silver for great Yahwe's sake ; 
By deed of charity atonement make. 
The Potter's field we'll buy, a thin cheap spot, 
Where strangers be allowed to lie and rot. 

(A ride) 
The people will applaud, give us a name 
For charity and spread our honest fame. 
To take the silver back for temple use 
Would danger our poor souls — a dread abuse ! 
Whatever else we do, we cling to the law; 
Nor bruise the rim with e'en the lightest flaw. 

Angels Sing 

Here lieth Love this Rock within 
That it may master death and sin. 
Now shall all people justice learn; 
The sweeter strain of peace discern ; 
Till soul at last shall rise above 
The grosser sense by power of love. 



108 l£e ffi3I)o ftSlott tfie JtOorlD 

Noble Jews 

Well ! well ! and so the rabble ever rules ; and we 

Do let them put out the very sun by which we 
see. 

All's God or Devil with them — a man's their 
chief puzzle ; 

Gods they hide from, devils they worship — but 
men muzzle. 

Here is this Jesus quite beyond their compre- 
hension ; 

And they beyond his. They could not stand 
tension 

Of his prayer, parables, and Golden Rules ; the 
old 

Sits easier on the conscience, being often over- 
told. 

Others 
The flavor's off the lily's lip ; 
The grapes do shrivel at the tip 
Of yonder vine. On the priest's wall 
The roses red grow pale and fall; 
The primrose opens half its eye, 
Then loses heart and 'gins to die. 
They say the graves do gappen wide; 
The tombs of rock crack down their side 
To swallow life, let out the dead 
Again the streets and mart to tread. 



i£e Wibo 22Jon tfce 221orID 109 

Another 

The sun shineth, but it shineth not ; 

There is no gold i' any spot, 

But pale half darkness on the steep. 

Cold o'er the earth sad shadows creep. 

There is a shroudlike hang to the sail 

Of the silent boats where the winds do fail. 

At noon the nighthawks fly and call, 

And the lizards creep upon the wall. 

Hath time forgotten hours till days 

And nights are mixed in lost amaze? 

Another 
I know not ! Only this I know — 
That I know not ; life's puzzles grow. 
Would I might weep, but tears are dry; 
Nor know I that I e'en may die. 

Others 
Woe, woe are we! Death tramples us under 

feet! 
Love's beauteous flower casteth he i' the street ! 
Our Heaven ravages ! plucks down unto Hell ! 
No pity hath ! letteth us dance a spell, 
Then gapes the floor, and there's the grave — 

the end ; 
Nor gods nor men by prayer the matter can 

mend. 



no fyz ffllljo ffllon tfte ffllottD 

Angels Sing 
He that would climb to the gods must know 
How himself to conquer, and all woe ! 
His very temptations as crutches use, 
Nor ill as only ill refuse. 

A Philosopher 
Life is a book ; each day a leaf 
On which we write a joy, a grief ! 
Fade ! fade ! ill tales of long ago ! 
Fade ! fade ! sad page of wrong and woe ! 
Sweet love write loving love until 
With love life's pages thou dost fill. 
Myself, myself doth mostly flee; 
Myself reborn each morn would see. 
My sins defy atoner's skill; 
They multiply beyond my will. 

Another 

Whose is the sin? Where lies the fount 

Whence all the miseries we count ? 

Aye, whence comes dying and pale death, 

Struggling to loosen life's faint breath ? 

Our first sad parent in his will 

Found willing back of willing still. 

Whence comes all grief, I say, unless 

From Him whose mission is to bless — 

Or so we fondly have believed 

While yet our trusting souls have grieved? 



\0t Wibo ffiion tfte ffllorio m 

Another 
Could I but nestle i' the earth — 
Warm mother earth, from whence my birth — 
I'd lie among the grasses soft, 
Beneath kind trees ; hear music oft 
From birds and bees and brooks ; feel kind 
The touch forever of soft wind; 
Feed every sense with fragrance sweet, 
Not caring that the hours be fleet. 
Then would I life endure, and praise 
The hours that dribble into days 
Nought offering now but sore unrest 
And teasing God to put some zest 
Into our frets and worrying cares, 
Or answer give to scampish prayers. 
And by and by I'd nestle closer; 
Close my eyes beneath the clover 
And sleep on — saying 'tis the end, 
And nothing left to tinker or mend. 
But here we come and find that life 
Before our coming's long been spoiled. 
Our very babe lips peep with prayer ; 
Out of the cradle address the gods ; 
Talk of the Heavens ; despise the earth. 
Poor little fool ! Have faith — that's it ; 
Knowledge is nothing. And human wit ! — 
Why that is a very accursed thing. 
I do not care for the Father hid 
In infinite deeps unseen, unknown; 



112 J£e Wibo ffiBon ttie ilOotIO 

Let me have more of mother earth, 
And rest and peace in her bosom warm; 
And when I die come up in the grass, 
And have the crickets to chant my mass. 

World Voices 
Well content, we praise the earth, 
Glorious home for human birth ! 
Lifting leaflet to our lips, 
Touch we thus God's finger tips! 



THE DISCIPLES 

John 
Now are we left alone. I still do feel 
The throb of his dear heart against my head. 
" My John ! " he whispered, and would gently 

steal 
His arm about my neck, and having said 
His love, did seal with such a gentle kiss 
As swept my soul with most unbroken bliss. 

Peter 
Aye, aye, John ! We've heard enough 
And more of this sweetness ; times are rough 
For kisses. There are blows ahead 
That we must meet now he is dead — 
Yea, out of them our kisses take 
And call them sweet for his dear sake. 



fyt Wibo mon tfje ffilorlD lis 

John 
Peter, your love was ever brave — 
Mine selfish. I do pardon crave 
That this my tongue did seem to slight 
Your loyal soul ; but this dark night 
Demands that we his love recall 
As buckler 'gainst what may befall. 

Peter 
Aye, 'tis our only bond ; elsewise 
Are we scattered beyond emprise. 
Let us to Celsus' chamber, where 
Safe from prying eyes we'll share 
Our trouble and devise its cure, 
Or else how best we may endure. 

Thomas 
At best live on 'twixt shifting hope and doubt 
Unto the world's midnight — our sun gone out. 
Is he our Christ — or not? If so, full soon 
Will pass our night of gloom — yea, this is 

noon. 
If Christ, what means this grief? if not, — the 

pain 
That draws us still to taste our woe again ? 

Nathaniel 
He is not dead ; yet are we left 
Like caravan of guide bereft, 
Or like a ship that ploughs the sea 



114 t)t mbo soon tbt motto 

Without a helmsman. Moveth me 

To turn to prayer. Perchance will ope 

The heavens in pity, giving hope. 

John 
Why should I bend the knee to him so well I love, 
Or cry, " Dear Jesus, mercy have ! " when any 

dove 
Is not so pitiful? Or why for love go call, 
Or all my own reiterate in temple stall? 

brother beautiful ! I could not live if thou 
Couldst will to look not lovingly upon me now ; 
And I within that gracious love can do no ill — 
Yea, ever joying most to do thine own good will. 
Thy sweet warm breath is on my cheek at early 

morn, 
Or when I bend above the task of yellow noon. 
Thine arm is round me as I walk the dewy hill 
At even, whispering, " Dear my John, I love thee 

still!" 

1 never asked of him his love, nor he of me. 
'Twas thus we twain were one, since twain we 

could not be. 
I have no prayer but trust ; there is no need of 

speech 
Where love doth kindle love and soul for soul 

doth reach. 
I cannot take of sound as some, and hew and hew 
And shape familiar words until the old seem new. 



l£e 3211)0 SBon tfte 22iorlD 115 

Angels Sing 

Now the angels once again, 
Drawing closer unto men, 
Wrap the world in harmony, 
To sad souls sing tenderly. 

Upward looker, with an eye 
Calmly resting in the sky, 
You shall see — and shall not die — 
God your Father passing by ! 



JESUS REAPPEARS 

The first red touch of dawn fingers the ink of 

night. 
Across the lake traw T l fishermen. The flashing 

light 
Of torches kindles flames on waves that lazily 

leap, 
And from the drowsy prow both ways dividing, 

creep. 
Upon the shore a fire illumes the glittering 

sands 
And makes the darkness denser where the Master 

stands. 
All night the nets were dragged, but nothing yet 

they bring ; 
Weird the naked toilers as slow once more they 

fling. 



116 fyz Mlfto 3Bon tfte E&otlO 

" Cast out ! cast out to right ! " a voice comes 

off the shore ! 
" Let down the nets, good friends, in cheery faith 

once more ! " 
The startled men obey, and whisper — as they 

draw, 
With many a hurried glance — the Master's 

name with awe. 
They scarce can draw, the fishers, the overloaded 

net. 
But scarce is lift ere Peter round his shoulders 

wet 
Girds coat, and leaping in, swift swims he to the 

land, 
And there beside his Jesus he treads the morning 

sand. 



The golden-fingered dawn a robe of golden light 

Threw round the twain; the earth held not a 
fairer sight. 

The Master's hand touched soft the brave dis- 
ciple's head ; 

And " Dost thou love me, Simon ? " in loving ac- 
cents said. 

" Yea, Jesus ! Thou knowest that I love thee 
true and well." 

" Then feed my lambs, and io the world my 
words go tell. 



Ipe Wt>o Wion tfte ffllotlfl 117 

But dost thou love me, Peter? " " Why ask me 

thus again ? 
Thou knowest that my love surpasses that of 



Then closer drew he to his heart that tawny head. 

" Than all things else thou lovest? " still ques- 
tioning said. 

The fiery spirit flashed : " Thou knowest, Mas- 
ter, all. 

I love thee so, my Jesus, that greater love or 
small 

No other love can be." "E'en so I ever thought ; 

But by my questions, Peter, thine inmost soul I 
sought. 

Now do I charge thee — if thou love, go feed 
my sheep. 

I leave to thee the flock; do thou the guerdon 
keep." 

Upon the coals the fishes broil. Along the east- 
ern sky 

The fire of growing day with flame of crimson 
flashes high. 

Angels Sing 

'Tis done ! 'tis done ! 
Our Christ has won ! 
On earth below 
God's peace shall grow. 



118 ^e mt)o ftOon tfte ftQorlD 

World Voices 
Now i' the heart of the world shines one true 

life; 
Star-like, calling all men to love from strife ; 
And He shall live more and more, till the leaven 
Of his life and his love shall make this world a 

heaven. 



FINALE 

So Jesus became the king of the world, 

And he gave a new code of law ; 
And the world did welcome this king of love, 

Forgetting those erst it saw. 

For the Golden Rule is the rule that wins, 
And the nations shall heed its will ; 

And the days dawn close that will melt the sword, 
And the might of right fulfil. 

Straight down through the ages ever has run 

One line of prophecy true, 
That whatever of wrong might triumph to-day 

To-morrow shows champions few. 

But Tightness rises from every defeat; 

The Christs come down from the cross ; 
The true that dies is a buried seed, 

And its harvest makes good the loss. 



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